The UEFA Referees Committee has officially appointed Romania’s István Kovács to referee the 2025 UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan, scheduled for Saturday at the Munich Football Arena.
Set to kick off at 21:00 CET, the high-stakes clash will see PSG continue their pursuit of a first-ever Champions League title, while Inter aim to capture their fourth. Kovács, 40, brings a wealth of experience to the role, although his appointment has sparked both praise and controversy.
An international referee since 2010, this will mark his third time officiating a UEFA club competition final. He previously oversaw the 2024 UEFA Europa League final between Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin and the 2022 UEFA Europa Conference League final between Roma and Feyenoord in Tirana.
This season alone, Kovács has officiated seven Champions League matches, including the round of 16 second leg between Liverpool and PSG, where he was commended for his composed handling of the game.
Joining him on the field will be Romanian assistants Mihai Marica and Ferencz Tunyogi. Portugal’s Joao Pedro Silva Pinheiro will act as fourth official, while Bruno Miguel Alves Jesus serves as the reserve assistant. The VAR team features Dennis Johan Higler of the Netherlands, supported by Romania’s Catalin Sorin Popa and Dutch official Paulus van Boekel.
However, Kovács’ selection has not come without debate. His officiating during UEFA Euro 2024, particularly in the Czechia-Turkey fixture, drew criticism on social media over several contested decisions.
Adding to the controversy is the exclusion of Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, initially a favourite for the final. Marciniak’s performance in the Inter-Barcelona semifinal drew backlash, with Barcelona filing formal complaints, including a request from midfielder Pedri for an investigation into several decisions. According to Tribuna.com, UEFA opted for Kovács to avoid further controversy and uphold the integrity of the competition.
