The spotlight will naturally shine on the players when Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan will play each other in the UEFA Champions League final on May 29, 2025, at Munich’s Football Arena, and another key figure will play a crucial role: the referee.

UEFA has appointed Romanian official Istvan Kovacs to officiate this year’s final. The 40-year-old brings a wealth of top-level experience, having officiated some of Europe’s biggest fixtures in recent seasons. He also officiated the inaugural Europa Conference League final in 2022, where Roma defeated Feyenoord 1-0. In addition,

He served as the fourth official during Inter Milan’s last Champions League final appearance in 2023 and refereed the 2024 Europa League final, where Atalanta convincingly beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0.

Kovacs will be supported by fellow Romanians Mihai Marica and Ferencz Tunyog as assistant referees, while Joao Pinheiro of Portugal has been appointed fourth official.

Dennis Higler from the Netherlands will oversee Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties, assisted by Catalin Popa (Romania) and Pol van Boekel (Netherlands).

UEFA will be hoping for a smooth and controversy-free performance from the officials, allowing the football to take center stage. A little VAR drama might be expected—but not at the cost of spoiling the occasion.

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