Paris FC to move in with Stade Français

Ligue 2 club Paris FC is set to call Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) its new neighbour after reaching a deal with Top 14 rugby union team Stade Français to move into the Stade Jean-Bouin.

The announcement is part of Paris FC’s growing ambitions following its high-profile takeover. In November, a deal was concluded which saw the Arnault family, which owns luxury goods titan LVMH, become the new majority shareholder of Paris FC via its Agache holding company, with energy drinks giant Red Bull also acquiring a minority stake.

Agache currently has a stake of 52.4% and Red Bull 10.6%, while Alter Paris, the entity controlled by previous majority shareholder Pierre Ferracci has 29.8% and BRI 7.2%. In 2027, Ferracci, who has controlled the club since 2012, will leave and the Arnault family’s share will increase to around 80%, with Red Bull’s rising to 15%.

Paris FC, currently second in Ligue 2, plays its home matches at Stade Sébastien-Charléty, but a deal has now been agreed for it to move to Stade Jean-Bouin from the 2025-26 season, when it hopes it will be a Ligue 1 team alongside PSG.

The deal with Stade Français, the main tenant of the city-owned Jean-Bouin, will initially run until 2029. Antoine Arnault said: “Reaching this agreement to play at Jean-Bouin from next season was a priority for my family in order to offer our supporters, partners and spectators a perfect setting to watch the Paris FC teams play.

“In this new setting, the club will begin a new era while being keen to finish writing history for this last season at Charléty.”

Dr. Hans-Peter Wild, president of Stade Français, added: “The arrival of a Parisian football club will help increase the attractiveness of this sumptuous stadium and make it one of the capital’s must-see sporting venues, to the great delight of Parisians.

“I am convinced that this arrival of Paris FC will create positive emulation among our teams and our respective communities to make sport triumph in Paris.”

Le Parisien notes that the move will come with several challenges, with the announcement seeing both clubs make a point of thanking the Mairie de Paris, Préfet de Police de Paris, and the governing bodies of the French football and rugby leagues, LFP and LNR, respectively.

The 20,000-seat Jean-Bouin is located adjacent to PSG’s home, the Parc des Princes, with the staging of football games at both venues set to be a logistical and security challenge. Paris FC will also have to pay for a new pitch at the Jean-Bouin as Stade Français currently plays on a synthetic surface, whereas Ligue 1 and 2 football requires hybrid pitches.

The Jean-Bouin’s branding will also have to be adapted, with pink currently the dominant colour owing to Stade Français. Pierre Rabadan, Deputy Mayor of Paris in charge of sport, said: “The City of Paris welcomes the agreement concluded between Stade Français and Paris Football Club.

“These two iconic Parisian clubs will therefore share the same venue, the legendary Stade Jean-Bouin, from the summer of 2025. This collaboration demonstrates the spirit of cooperation between the two clubs, which I thank for their commitment to promoting Parisian sport.

“Entirely renovated by the City of Paris and inaugurated in 2013, with high-quality infrastructure for teams and spectators, the Stade Jean-Bouin will be the ideal setting to host both rugby and football matches at the highest level. We are very pleased with this decision, which will allow sports fans to experience unique moments and optimise the use of this major Parisian infrastructure.”