Exceptional Security Measures in Budapest Ahead of Champions League Final

Hungarian authorities are implementing extensive security measures in the capital, Budapest, in preparation for hosting the UEFA Champions League final between French club Paris Saint-Germain and English club Arsenal. The match is scheduled for Saturday, May 30, at Puskás Arena. These actions are driven by the organizers' desire to secure the stadium vicinity, public transport, and the city center, prompted by serious concerns about potential violence between the two clubs' fan bases.

The security plan includes intensive reinforcements to manage the influx of thousands of fans expected to arrive in Hungary, including hundreds who may attend without official match tickets. In a move aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, Hungarian forces will be supported by police reinforcements from France and the United Kingdom to assist in maintaining order and preventing any disturbances that might arise in fan gathering areas.

As part of the organizational preparations, Minister of Transport and Investment, Dávid Vitézy, in cooperation with Minister of Interior, Gábor Bozsva, has initiated discussions to address potential disruptions to traffic and public transport networks in the capital. The Hungarian newspaper Blikk warned of the possibility of "widespread chaos, burning cars, and street clashes," prompting authorities to raise the alert level to maximum to avoid a repeat of any previous scenes of violence.

This security concern is based on past records, as Paris Saint-Germain's ultra groups have been involved in several incidents of violence following the team's recent European matches, while Arsenal fans have had previous confrontations with police during the team's away games this current season.