The French commune of Châteaudun, located around 130 kilometres from the Parc des Princes, has emerged as a surprise candidate to house a new stadium for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
First reported by L’Équipe, the Mayor of Châteaudun, Fabien Verdier, has entered a proposal to PSG offering up a package of land that would accommodate the Ligue 1 club’s ambitions of developing a 60,000-seat stadium.
Châteaudun is situated in the Eure-et-Loir department of France and believes its readily available land is one of a number of advantages it has over rival candidates. Verdier also feels the distance between Châteaudun and Paris shouldn’t be interpreted as a barrier.
He believes Châteaudun fits perfectly into the project aimed at developing mobility and the transport network of the neighbouring departments of the capital, with the potential to host a TGV train station.
Verdier said: “We must not look at the kilometres, but at the time. We are an hour from the Parc des Princes. You could get to our place faster than crossing the (Paris) ring road.”
Le Figaro said PSG is focused on remaining in the west of Paris, adding this seems to rule out stadium proposals from Gonesse and Aulnay-sous-Bois.
It emerged last month that Valérie Pécresse, President of the Regional Council of Île-de-France, is canvassing leaders of towns within the region to see whether they could accommodate a new stadium for PSG.
Pécresse announced that the region, in which Paris is located, would “open up all possibilities for a stadium outside Paris”. Pécresse is said to have contacted the mayors of Île-de-France towns that have a population of more than 10,000 with regards their views on their ability to host a new home for the club.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi earlier stated that the club would seek to move from the Parc des Princes following the City of Paris’ definitive declaration that the stadium is not for sale.
On February 6, the City moved to end the prospect of PSG acquiring the Parc des Princes, with Mayor Anne Hidalgo stating “the subject is closed”. The Council of Paris voted in favour of ensuring that PSG’s current home will remain the property of the City and will not be made available for sale, as the club has been hoping.
Relations between the City and PSG over the future of the Parc des Princes have been at a standstill for over a year, with the situation becoming increasingly fractious. PSG is currently engaged in a 30-year lease deal for the Parc with the City, which is due to expire at the end of 2043.
PSG is owned by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) and the club has been forthright in its belief that the acquisition of the stadium is essential to it conducting a proposed expansion from the current capacity of around 48,000 to 60,000.
PSG in January opted against submitting a bid to buy the Stade de France in favour of turning its attention to renovating its current home or building a new stadium. PSG had until January 3 to submit a bid for the Stade de France, the 81,000-capacity stadium which serves as the home of France’s national football and rugby union teams.
