Paris Saint-Germain will defend their UEFA Super Cup title against Aston Villa on August 12, 2026, in Salzburg, Austria. PSG secured last season’s Super Cup win by beating Tottenham Hotspur on penalties following their first Champions League victory [1, 2]. Aston Villa qualified for the match by winning the Europa League with a 3-0 win over Freiburg in May, ending a 30-year wait for a major trophy since their last League Cup in 1996 [3, 4, 5]. Villa’s last continental success came in the early 1980s with the European Cup and Super Cup [3, 4, 5].
Both teams enter the match facing significant squad challenges. PSG’s manager Luis Enrique highlighted that 15 of his players only recently returned from extended World Cup duty. He said, "We are pleased to be here because it means we did a good job last season, but in terms of preparation it is very difficult to manage." Players such as Fabian Ruiz, who won with Spain, and five French semi-finalists only resumed training about a week before the match [1, 2]. Enrique declined to comment on ongoing FIFA governance issues, saying, "I focus on my team, my players, the transfer window. I have no words about that. That is for politicians, I am not a politician" [1].
Aston Villa’s squad is also depleted due to recent transfers and injuries. Key players Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, Jadon Sancho, Douglas Luiz, and Lucas Digne all departed in the transfer window, some joining PSG [3, 5, 6]. Injuries and World Cup rest have ruled out defenders Ezri Konsa, forward Ollie Watkins, and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for the Super Cup clash [3, 5, 6]. Despite this, Villa manager Unai Emery expressed confidence, saying, "I have been here four years at Aston Villa. I am happy with how we are responding and how the players are responding. We want more. We are not stopping here." He also noted, "The effort is not changing. The club is making a really huge effort. The club is moving in the same direction as I am trying to move" [3, 5]. Villa captain John McGinn added, "I think we have consistently competed with the best in England, the best in Europe, no matter what the competition is. We will have our challenges" [6]. Emery aims for his first UEFA Super Cup triumph after three prior unsuccessful attempts [3, 5, 4].
After the Super Cup match in Salzburg, PSG will play Lens in the French Super Cup on August 16, 2026 [1, 2].
