Linkin Park to play Champions League final pre-match live show

UEFA have announced that Linkin Park will play a pre-match show before the Champions League final kicks off in Munich on May 31.

The American rock band, who released their first album in seven years in November 2024, will be “blending their iconic riffs with the sights and sounds of the UEFA Champions League,” UEFA said in a statement.

Lenny Kravitz played at Wembley Stadium during the opening ceremony for last year’s final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said that the 2026 Men’s World Cup final in the United States will break with tradition and have a Super Bowl-style halftime show.

Pre-match concerts are coming to the biggest stages in European women’s football from next season as part of a Pepsi sponsorship, UEFA announced on April 8.

The five-year renewal with PepsiCo will see kick-off shows at the final of the Women’s Champions League through 2030 and at the final of the 2029 European Championship.

UEFA, also inspired by the NFL’s Super Bowl halftime show, has had limited success with incorporating music acts into its showpiece event.

Some broadcasters have opted not to broadcast the concerts live, choosing instead to focus on the pundits discussing the upcoming match in their studio.

However, Dua Lipa’s appearance at the 2018 Champions League final in Kyiv prompted Liverpool supporters to adopt her “One Kiss” hit as an unofficial anthem after reaching the final where they were beaten 3-1 by Madrid.