PSG set to face Aston Villa in UEFA Super Cup showdown

UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain will face Europa League holders Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup in Salzburg, Austria, on Wednesday.

The match at Stadion Salzburg, also known as Red Bull Arena, will kick off at 1900GMT.

PSG secured their place in the Super Cup after retaining the Champions League title with a 4-3 penalty shootout victory over Arsenal following a 1-1 draw after extra time in Budapest.

Aston Villa qualified by defeating German club Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final in Istanbul. Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendia, and Morgan Rogers scored as Villa lifted the trophy for the first time.

PSG are seeking to become only the second team in the modern era to retain the Super Cup, following Real Madrid’s back-to-back triumphs in 2016 and 2017.

The French club defeated Tottenham Hotspur on penalties in last year’s edition after the match ended 2-2.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, will make their second Super Cup appearance. They won the trophy in 1982 after beating Barcelona 3-1 on aggregate.

The teams last met in the 2024-25 Champions League quarterfinals. PSG won the first leg 3-1 in Paris before losing the return match 3-2 at Villa Park, advancing 5-4 on aggregate.

PSG players return from World Cup duty

PSG have had limited time to prepare for the match following the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Six of their players were involved through the tournament’s final weekend, including five members of the France squad and Spain midfielder Fabian Ruiz, who lifted the trophy.

Only 24 days separate the World Cup final and the Super Cup, leaving some players with a short recovery period before the new European club season.

Despite the disrupted preparations, head coach Luis Enrique included his leading players in the squad traveling to Salzburg.

Villa reshuffle squad after notable departures

Villa manager Unai Emery has been forced to reshape his squad after guiding the club to fourth place in the Premier League and the Europa League title last season.

Morgan Rogers joined Chelsea in a British-record £117 million ($158 million) transfer, while Youri Tielemans completed a £35 million ($47 million) move to Manchester United.

Lucas Digne left Villa for PSG and could face his former club Wednesday.

Amadou Onana and new signing Johan Manzambi are unavailable through injury, while World Cup participants Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins, and Emiliano Martinez remain on extended leave.

Villa strengthened their squad with several additions, including Joao Gomes, Alejandro Garnacho, and Modou Keba Cisse, all of whom were named in the squad for Wednesday’s match.

Somali referee who was denied US entry set to officiate match

Somali referee Omar Artan will become the first non-European official to oversee a UEFA Super Cup match.

Artan had been selected as a match official for the 2026 World Cup but was denied entry to the US after arriving on June 6, despite holding a valid visa.

UEFA appointed him to officiate the Super Cup five days later, following discussions with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).