German official Daniel Siebert takes charge in Budapest as Mikel Arteta’s side chases European glory against PSG, bringing familiar officiating to football’s biggest club stage.
UEFA has confirmed Daniel Siebert will referee Arsenal’s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on Saturday, May 30.
The German official has been appointed for the biggest club game in European football, with Arsenal preparing to face PSG as Mikel Arteta’s side look to win the Champions League for the first time.
Siebert will be assisted by Jan Seidel and Rafael Foltyn, who are also from Germany. Sandro Schärer of Switzerland has been named as the fourth official, while Spain’s Guadalupe Porras Ayuso will be the reserve assistant referee.
Bastian Dankert will be the VAR, with Robert Schröder appointed as assistant VAR. Carlos Del Cerro Grande of Spain will provide VAR support.
The appointment is a significant marker in Siebert’s career. UEFA said the 42-year-old has been an international referee since 2015 and has taken charge of nine Champions League matches this season. This will be his first UEFA club competition final.
Arsenal already know Siebert well
Arsenal will already be familiar with Siebert from this season’s Champions League knockout stage. The German refereed Arsenal’s quarter-final first leg against Sporting CP and was also in charge of the semi-final second leg against Atlético Madrid.
That is relevant without being decisive. It means Arsenal’s players have recent experience of how Siebert manages European knockout matches, particularly the pace of restarts, physical duels in midfield and contact at set-pieces.
Those details can shape the rhythm of a final. Arsenal have often tried to impose control through territory, counter-pressing and pressure after turnovers under Arteta, while PSG’s threat is likely to come through fast attacks into space and one-v-one situations in wide areas.
A referee’s threshold can therefore influence how easily either side is able to break momentum. Too many early stoppages can slow Arsenal’s attempts to build pressure. Too loose a line on contact can change the feel of midfield duels and transitions.
Premier League run-in shapes Arsenal’s final plans
Siebert’s selection also reflects his standing within UEFA’s refereeing group. He has worked regularly in elite European football this season and has experience at major international tournaments, including Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.
Arsenal still have Premier League business to complete before they can fully turn towards Budapest, with fixtures against Burnley and Crystal Palace coming before the trip to Hungary. If the title race is still live, Arteta will have to balance two very different pressures: securing domestic points while protecting the sharpness and fitness of a squad preparing for the club’s biggest European night in 20 years.
Arsenal’s staff will already be planning for PSG’s transition threat, their wide one-v-one quality and the physical rhythm of a final. Siebert’s threshold for contact, set-piece management and control of restarts will be folded into that work.
Injuries and fatigue may yet shape the final build-up as much as tactics. Arsenal have less than three weeks to manage minutes, recover key players and keep momentum in the Premier League before attention narrows fully to PSG. With the officials confirmed, one more part of the Champions League final is fixed. The harder task now is making sure the squad arrive in Budapest with the title race handled and the team still in condition to make history.