Paris Saint-Germain's opening Ligue 1 fixture of the season against Rennes has been switched to a new venue at short notice after extreme heat left the playing surface at Parc des Princes unfit for use, French football authorities have confirmed.
The LFP's competitions committee announced on Wednesday that Sunday's match will instead be staged at Rennes' home ground, Roazhon Park, following consultation between the two clubs.
PSG explained that soaring temperatures had caused significant deterioration to their pitch, raising concerns about player safety. The Ligue 1 champions said the state of the surface "did not allow the match to be held under satisfactory circumstances, particularly with regard to the safety and physical wellbeing of the players."
The decision to shift the game to Brittany was reached in cooperation with Rennes, and PSG expressed gratitude to their opponents for accommodating the change. French outlet L'Equipe reported that Paris are hopeful the reverse fixture, scheduled for March, will subsequently be moved to the capital, though no formal arrangement has yet been finalized.
Before settling on Roazhon Park, PSG explored several alternative venues within Paris itself. According to L'Equipe, the club considered Paris FC's Stade Jean-Bouin, located adjacent to Parc des Princes, as well as Stade Sébastien-Charléty in the south of the city and the Stade de France. When none of those options proved workable, PSG turned to the LFP for support in resolving the fixture crisis.
In a statement, the club acknowledged the disruption caused to fans who had made arrangements to attend the match at their usual home. "Paris Saint-Germain fully understands the inconvenience caused by this change for its supporters and all those who had planned to attend this match at the Parc des Princes," the club said. "The club regrets this exceptional situation."
Despite the setback, PSG insisted they have already taken steps to address the underlying issue. The club stated it has "identified a solution for replacing the pitch at the Parc des Princes for the upcoming matches," with the aim of having the ground ready in time for their next home league fixture against Monaco on 4 September.
The episode highlights the challenges European clubs are increasingly facing as heatwaves become more frequent and intense, placing added strain on natural grass surfaces even at elite stadiums. Parc des Princes, PSG's home since 1974, has hosted countless high-profile matches over the decades, but the current heat-related damage has forced an unusual and abrupt change of plans just days before the new campaign's opening fixtures.
For Rennes, the switch offers an unexpected opportunity to host the reigning champions on home turf rather than travelling to the capital, potentially giving their supporters a rare chance to see PSG's star-studded squad in person at Roazhon Park. The club's cooperation in agreeing to the late change was acknowledged by PSG as part of the resolution process.
Attention will now turn to how quickly PSG can restore their own pitch to a suitable standard, with the Monaco fixture in early September serving as the next test of whether the proposed fix has been successful. Should further issues arise, it remains to be seen whether additional fixtures might need to be relocated or whether the club's remedial work will prove sufficient to avoid a repeat of this week's disruption.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.