Two arrested as Arsenal and PSG fans clash on Budapest streets before Champions League final

Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain supporters clashed in downtown Budapest in the early hours of Friday, May 30, with video footage circulating online showing fans throwing punches and flares on Kiraly Street in the city’s 7th district. Budapest police confirmed they have opened proceedings against unknown perpetrators for gang violence and are analysing camera recordings to identify those involved.

“Several fans got into a fight on May 30, 2026, at around 00:20 in Budapest’s 7th district, on Kiraly Street,” a police statement read. “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.”

Separately, two British supporters were arrested for disorderly conduct on Friday. The first, detained at around 4pm local time, was involved in a fight at one of the gates of the Champions Festival alongside two Portuguese nationals; all three were charged with disorderly conduct. A second British man was detained around 11pm after climbing onto and damaging a parked car.

Hungary has mounted its largest ever single-day police operation for the final, deploying as many as 4,000 officers including motorbike patrols, dog units, mounted police and drone operators. Major General Dr. Janos Zoltan Kuczik said authorities would act decisively against any disruption to public order, acknowledging that the simultaneous presence of fans from London and Paris “poses a significant risk.”

Authorities estimate that around 10,000 supporters have travelled to Budapest without tickets. Despite the Puskas Arena’s 67,000 capacity, Arsenal and PSG were each allocated only 17,000 tickets, leaving a substantial number of fans without access to the ground.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced on Wednesday that 22,000 officers would be deployed across France over the weekend, a precaution informed in part by the violence that followed PSG’s Champions League victory last season. When PSG beat Inter Milan 5-0 in Munich, celebrations in Paris turned deadly — two people died, nearly 200 were injured, and close to 600 were arrested as cars, bins and mattresses were set alight.