The Killers delivered the headline performance at the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show presented by Pepsi at Puskás Aréna in Budapest on May 30, 2026, entertaining fans before the season’s biggest club match between Arsenal FC and Paris Saint-Germain. The global rock band performed some of its best-known songs, including “When You Were Young,” “Human,” “All These Things That I’ve Done” and “Mr Brightside,” in a stadium show designed to unite football and music audiences.
The pre-match spectacle drew millions of viewers around the world and thousands of fans inside the arena, adding a major entertainment moment to one of the most watched events in club football. The performance highlighted The Killers’ long-running status as one of the defining rock acts of the 21st century. Since the release of their 2004 debut album Hot Fuss, the band has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide and built a catalogue of internationally recognised hits.
The show also featured a surprise appearance by Sir David Beckham on screens before kickoff. Beckham appeared to ask fans if they were “ready to kick things off,” then dropped a coin into a jukebox that set a vinyl of The Killers in motion. That cue launched a visually striking stage presentation, with neon lighting, bold graphics and choreography inspired by the band’s Las Vegas roots.
Pepsi has staged the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show since 2016, combining live music and football on one of the sport’s biggest nights. The event is part of the company’s broader Pepsi Football Nation platform, which aims to celebrate football culture on and off the pitch and bring fans closer to experiences that extend beyond the 90 minutes of play.
The Killers’ appearance at the Budapest final added to the band’s global profile at a time when it is also working on new music. The group has confirmed that it is developing its eighth studio album, while continuing to line up major live performances around the world.
By placing a major rock act at the center of the final’s pre-match entertainment, the UEFA Champions League and Pepsi continued a formula that blends sport, music and spectacle for a worldwide audience. The performance underscored how the final has grown into more than a football match, becoming a cultural event with appeal far beyond the stadium.
