Budapest police probe fan violence ahead of Arsenal v PSG Champions League final

Budapest police have arrested supporters and are reviewing CCTV footage after brawls broke out before Saturday's Champions League final between Arsenal and PSG.

Fan brawls in Budapest under police investigation before Champions League final

Budapest police are analysing camera recordings to identify supporters involved in fighting ahead of Saturday's Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris St-Germain at Puskas Arena, BBC News reports.

According to a police statement, the incident took place in the early hours of Saturday morning in the city's 7th district. "Several fans got into a fight on May 30, 2026, at around 00:20 in Budapest's 7th district, on Kiraly Street," the statement read. Footage circulating on social media showed approximately 30 supporters from each club brawling and lighting flares at the scene.

"The BRFK 7th District Police Department has initiated proceedings against unknown perpetrators for the crime of gang violence, within the framework of which the camera recordings are also being analysed," the statement added.

Earlier on Friday, two Portuguese nationals and a British man were arrested following a separate fight at the Champions League fan festival site and charged with disorderly conduct. A second British man was arrested after climbing onto the roof of a parked car and causing damage to the vehicle.

Nearly 4,000 officers are deployed across the Hungarian capital for the final, with tens of thousands of fans expected to have travelled to Budapest without tickets. Hungary's deputy national police chief Zoltan Janos Kuczik said on Tuesday that the operation represents "the largest single-day police deployment in Hungary's history."

Authorities had designated the event high-risk, with security preparations reported to have begun more than a year before the match. The game between Arsenal and Paris St-Germain kicks off at 17:00 BST.

Source: BBC News