Overview

• Linkin Park opened the Champions League final on May 31 in Munich with a high-tech set that blended hits like “In the End” and “Numb” as part of their comeback tour following Chester Bennington’s death.
• Marco van Basten derided the pre-match spectacle as “absolutely idiotic” and “worthless,” echoing concerns from fellow pundit Rafael van der Vaart.
• UEFA required teams to end their warm-up a full half-hour early to accommodate the performance, drawing fire for disrupting player preparations.
• In-stadium applause was muted but social media reactions ranged from nostalgia-tinged disappointment over Bennington’s absence to praise for new singer Emily Armstrong.
• The band has scheduled two additional stadium concerts in Germany for June 2026, with shows at Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion on June 1 and Munich’s Allianz Arena on June 11.