UEFA Futsal Champions League final preview: Sporting CP vs Palma

Sporting CP play holders llles Balears Palma in the 2026 UEFA Futsal Champions League final at a sold-out Pesaro Futsal Arena on Sunday.

The lowdown

That Sporting CP are into a joint-record eighth final and that Palma have made an unprecedented fourth decider in a row (having won the previous three) is no surprise. But the way they both made it on Friday in Pesaro was extraordinary; Sporting trailed Cartagena 2-0 at the interval but recovered and even led briefly in extra time before a 6-5 penalty shoot-out triumph, only for that drama to be immediately eclipsed as Palma came back from 6-1 down to Étoile in the first half to draw 6-6 and then prevail 5-4 on spot kicks.

Sporting had been on top for most of their game with the Spanish champions and now equal Inter FS's record of eight final appearances. Their wins came in 2019 and 2021, but losses in 2011, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023 (to hosts Palma) have left Sporting still waiting to become the first non-Spanish side to claim three titles.

Palma got to that mark from as many attempts and now hope to move to within one of Inter's record five titles, an extraordinary feat for a club that have never won a major domestic honour but in their first three entries already claimed an unprecedented hat-trick of consecutive final wins. The first of those was as hosts against Sporting in 2023 on penalties, and they also defeated the Lisbon club 3-0 in the 2025 semis in Le Mans.

That was followed by a 9-4 win against Kairat Almaty which included four goals by Fabinho, whose hat-trick on Friday was the key to Palma's amazing recovery against Étoile. Sporting, though, having finished fourth for the last two years looked at their best against Cartagena, not least with the performances of Zicky, the star pivot who has been restricted by injury this season, and 39-year-old Italy stalwart Alex Merlim, aiming to celebrate victory in the first UEFA futsal club final in his home nation.

Views from the camps

Nuno Dias, Sporting coach: "Even if we had been in 50 finals, we would have the same nerves before the game. Not too much, because that's detrimental, but it's something we deal with naturally. We will have to be ourselves and show the same level we demonstrated in the semi-finals.

"We are facing the European champions, against whom we have played several times and lost. They are a team with a lot of quality and that's why they achieved something unprecedented, which is winning three consecutive titles. If we don't achieve the perfection we achieved in the semi-finals, it will be very difficult to win. And even if it happens, it won't be easy at all. In a semi-final, being down 6-1 and turning it around says everything about Palma."

Antonio Vadillo, Palma coach: "I don't have much to say about Sporting that I haven't already said. I've mentioned several times that they are the most complete futsal team in the world. They are very experienced and this season they added important reinforcements.

"They are a team made in the image of their coach, Nuno Dias. They often play with their goalkeeper in the offensive build-up, they are extremely strong on set pieces and, in addition, they have probably the best current pivot in the world, Zicky. Sporting have always been one of our reference points during our growth process as a team... The final will force us to play our best game of the season if we want to win."

Captains João Matos and Carlos Barrón catch up before the press conference on Saturday in PesaroUEFA via Getty Images

João Matos, Sporting captain: "There's always nerves before a game as important as a Champions League final, but that's part of life. Both myself, our coach, and my team-mates are used to playing in big matches. We have enough experience to face such a big challenge as the one we'll have ahead of us in the final. The most important thing is to always stay calm and focused on what we have to do to achieve our goal.

"We expect a difficult game and we will do everything in our power to win our third title. I made my debut in this competition in 2006, but the feeling and the desire are the same. It doesn't matter if I play 40 or 10 minutes or even if I don't play at all: I always give everything for my team and all my energy is focused on winning, supporting and encouraging my team-mates."

Carlos Barrón, Palma captain: "Sporting have a more solid team than us because they've been playing together for a long time. If we look at the first final we played against them, only Luan Muller, the coach, and I [are set for their fourth final]. That game was decided by details, but this final will be totally different.

"We're in a good spell of performances and results. We know we're facing a fantastic team with great players, but we have a great desire to compete and fight for another title in what will be our fourth final. I always try to give my best and above all it's a privilege to be in this final stage."

Key stats

• Palma are the first team to reach four consecutive finals, already having claimed an unprecedented three straight titles since their 2022/23 debut.
• Sporting equal Inter's record of reaching eight finals. Captain João Matos has been part of all the previous seven and is set to play his 25th final tournament game in this competition (from 98 overall appearances).
• Vadillo can become the first coach to win four titles in this competition. His current mark of three, shared with Jesús Velasco, can be equalled by Sporting's Nuno Dias (who can also match Vadillo by winning it three times with the same club, Velasco having tasted success with Inter in 2017 and 2018 and Barça in 2022).
• Nuno Dias himself is increasing his record number of finals as a coach to seven.
•  Inter goalkeepers Luan Muller and Carlos Barrón played in all three of Palma's past wins. Mario Rivillos also did so, but is not in the squad for the finals (he also was in the Inter side that won in 2017 and was in Barça's squad in the early rounds of their 2019/20 triumph, but left before the delayed finals, meaning he could be part of a sixth personal triumphant campaign).
• Luan Muller and Barrón can equal the record of playing in four final wins, shared by Gabriel (Inter FS 2006, 2009; Barça 2012, 2014), Sergio Lozano (Barça 2012, 2014, 2020, 2022), Ortiz (Inter FS 2009, 2017, 2018; Barça 2022) and Rivillos (Inter 2017; Palma 2023, 2024, 2025).
• Gonçalo, João Matos, Alex Merlim and Vinicius Rocha can all win their third titles with Sporting after 2019 and 2021.
• Palma's Lin (who turns 40 next Saturday) previously won this title with Barça in 2012 and 2014.
• Fabinho was a 2023 and 2025 winner with Palma but was injured for the 2024 final.
• A Spanish club has won the title for 14 of the 24 editions and 21 of the 25 finals have now featured at least one team from that nation.
• This is the eighth final between clubs from Portugal and Spain.
• Sporting and Palma meet in a second final, equalling the records of Action 21 Charleroi vs Playas de Castellón (2002, 2003), Benfica vs Inter (2004, 2010), FC Dynamo vs Inter (2006, 2007), Barça vs FC Dynamo (2012, 2014), Inter vs Sporting CP (2016, 2017) and Barça vs Sporting CP (2021, 2022).
• Sporting's Bruno Pinto is currently joint top scorer for the season with Soufiane Charraoui of Tigers Roemond on 11 goals.