Here's what time the Champions League final starts where you live - and how you can watch it live online

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Liverpool FC celebrates in the Champions League.

• The 2018 UEFA Champions League final takes place on Saturday May 26.
• The final, contested by Real Madrid and Liverpool, has a 9.45 p.m. start time in Kiev, which means 2.45 p.m. for audiences in New York City.
• Here's everything you need to know.

Real Madrid C.F. takes on Liverpool F.C. in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final later this month.

The match marks the conclusion of an epic European season as Real, the defending champion, meets Liverpool at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine.

Glory, pride, and a permanent place in the history books beckons for this year's winner - will Real win a third successive title? Or will Liverpool reclaim a crown it has not worn since its extraordinary come-from-behind victory over AC Milan in 2005?

Real has already won the trophy a record 12 times, but faces a successful European club in its own right, as Liverpool has triumphed five times - the most tournament wins by any English side.

When is the 2018 UEFA Champions League final?

The 2018 UEFA Champions League final kicks off on Saturday May 26 and will take place at Ukraine's Olympic Stadium, the country's premier sports venue.

It is scheduled to start at 9.45 p.m local time which means an earlier start for UK and US audiences.

Here's what time the Real Madrid CF vs. Liverpool FC match will start in major cities across different time zones on Saturday May 26.

• London (BST): 7.45 p.m.
• New York (ET): 2.45 p.m.
• Chicago (CT): 1.45 p.m.
• Denver (MT): 12.45 p.m.
• Las Vegas (PT): 11.45 a.m.
• Los Angeles (PT): 11.45 a.m.
• Honolulu (HAST): 8.45 a.m.
• Sydney (AET): 4.45 a.m (Sunday).
• Tokyo (JST): 3.45 a.m (Sunday).
• Moscow (MSK): 9.45 p.m.
• Paris (CEST): 8.45 p.m.

Why should I watch?

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Cristiano Ronaldo has enjoyed hot form in Europe this season.

Excluding qualifiers, 32 teams entered the eight Champions League group stages way back in September 2017. Now, eight months later, only two remain.

Combined, Real Madrid and Liverpool have been responsible for 70 goals from the 12 Champions League games they each played en route to this season's final.

Real, of course, has been led by Cristiano Ronaldo - a merciless and powerful forward who has scored 15 of Real's 30 goals in the competition.

His best goal this year was his incredible bicycle kick in the 3-0 win over Juventus in April.

Watch the goal here...

...Or here, if you're in a different region.

Liverpool, like Real, has its own match-winner in Mohamed Salah - a right-sided forward who has scored ten times in Europe so far.

But Salah is not the only Liverpool player to hit double figures in Europe - he is joined by Roberto Firmino, who also has 10.

While Ronaldo has scored half of Real's goals in the Champions League, Liverpool's 40-goal output is far more balanced. Even attacking midfielder Sadio Mané is close to joining Firmino and Salah on double figures, as he has nine Champions League goals so far this season.

While some finals can lack drama as both teams begin the game cautiously, Real and Liverpool tend to promise one thing - end-to-end action.

How can I watch live?

BT Sport is broadcasting the event to UK audiences. Traditionally, viewers would need a BT Sport subscription to watch European soccer matches. However, the broadcaster is making a live stream of the final available for anyone to watch online for free.

We will publish a link here when one is made available by the broadcaster.

To watch on TV, audiences will still need to have a BT Sport subscription.

For audiences in the US, Fox Sports will be your broadcaster.

Online streams will be available to US audiences on fuboTV.