PSG dreams of bigger things. Since the takeover of the Parisian club in 2011 by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), the question of the Parc des Princes has tirelessly come back to the table. With its new status as a European giant, Paris Saint-Germain feels cramped within the 47,000-seat Porte de Saint-Cloud enclosure, owned by the city of Paris.
On numerous occasions, the club has expressed its wish to buy the Parc des Princes, to finally own its stadium (like the other major European clubs), but also to increase its capacity to 70,000 seats. Except that these ambitions come up against the firmness of the city of Paris, in a standoff which has dragged on for more than eight years and which is turning into a thriller policy.
Act I: PSG declares its love
In 2013, PSG and Paris City Hall took a step towards each other, by signing an agreement operating the stadium for thirty years, against an annual rent of two million euros. Enough to allow PSG to afford a small facelift of the enclosure, in the colors of the club against 85 million euros. In the months that followed, the subject of the sale of the Parc des Princes became part of the debates during the municipal elections in the capital. “It’s not a taboo subject”then assures Anne Hidalgo, about a “expensive building, whose maintenance costs, estimated at 1 million euros annually, weigh on local finances”adds the future mayor.
But it was in October 2015 that the subject of the sale entered the public debate. The Parisian reveals that PSG would have made an offer of less than 100 million euros which the town hall would not have followed up on. Anne Hidalgo then steps up to the plate, for the first time: “There is no discussion”. Still, the seed has been planted, with the first arguments sharpening in each camp. On the PSG side, we refuse to play anywhere other than Porte de Saint-Cloud. On the town hall side, it is explained that it is impossible to expand the Parc des Princes because of the ring road which passes underneath. Liar poker is on.
Act II: Nasser Al-Khelaïfi puts the pressure on
Autumn 2022 is coming to an end, and Nasser Al-Khelaifi is taking the opportunity to come out of the woods, as the World Cup in Qatar approaches. In an interview with Marcathe president of PSG drops the bomb: “I think the town hall doesn’t want us to stay at the Park, they’re putting pressure on us to leave”. Offensive, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi adds: “We have been talking with them for five years. […] We are studying other options because I think we are no longer welcome at the Parc des Princes. They’re playing with us and we’ve had enough.” The fuse is lit, and it does not take long to set the Parisian political microcosm ablaze.
It is Emmanuel Grégoire, first deputy of Anne Hidalgo, who retorts: “We haven’t categorically ruled out the sale. But it’s the right price. PSG is offering 40 million euros. It’s cheaper than Paredes. Honestly?! Do you really think the Park is worth less that Leandro Paredes bought 50 million euros?”. The start of a media battle which sees everyone going for their numbers. In response to this acidic outing, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi raises his voice in the Team : “What is the value of the stadium without PSG? None. The town hall must also ask itself what the club brings to the City of Paris. If they think we’re going to invest €500 million, we’ll just go and build a new stadium.”
Act III: Anne Hidalgo closes the door
At the start of 2023, Anne Hidalgo takes advantage of the wish period to announce her wishes to PSG, via an interview with Parisian : “The Parc des Princes is no longer for sale. This is a firm and definitive position. This is an exceptional heritage of Parisians.”. The dialogue is broken between the town hall and the club, which says “disappointed and surprised” to AFP that the town hall wants “dislodge Paris Saint-Germain and its supporters from the Parc des Princes”. Taken to task, public opinion (Parisian) asks only one thing: that PSG remains at the Park, its home since 1974. Moreover, no one really believes that the Qatari leaders dare to leave their mythical lair estimated at 350 million euros by the city’s planning department, and 200 million euros by the estates department.
Determined, Anne Hidalgo plays the appeasement card: “We must support PSG in its desire and need for renovation, increase in capacity, modernization of the Park”. Caught between the firmness of the town hall, and the hand extended by the latter, the club counterattacks: “It is obvious that such a significant investment will only be made by PSG if we become owners of the Parc des Princes. By refusing our very significant investment, the mayor is placing a tax burden of several million euros on Parisian taxpayers.”. A manager of the club, on condition of anonymity, drives home the point by evoking a “financial suicide for the municipality which will have to pay “30 million euros just to bring it up to environmental standards. If Ms. Hidalgo ever thought of seducing elected environmentalists with this decision…”
Act IV: a mirage called Stade de France
As the concession linking the Stade de France to the Vinci-Bouygues consortium, signed in 1995, is coming to an end, the Dyonisian venue is arousing envy. If it wins, PSG could drop its bags there as early as June 2025. In the midst of a standoff with Paris town hall, Paris Saint-Germain seizes this opportunity and makes it known, on March 13, 2023, that it intends to be a candidate for the purchase of the Stade de France. A prospect which seems unlikely, given the reluctance of Parisian supporters on the one hand, and the fact of having to share the enclosure with the French team and the French XV on the other hand.
But PSG holds its bluff until January 2024, the date of submission of the takeover files. A source at the club told AFP that she had gone “at the end of this track, Who was ultimately not the best option. before adding: “CThis does not mean thatHidalgo wins, quite the contrary. With Arctos [un fond d’investissement américain]we have bigger and better plans if Hidalgo still refuses to sell. PSG then took advantage of this non-submission of the file to relaunch the debate by warning that if the sale does not go through, the club will not hesitate to build its own stadium.
Act V: internal divisions at Paris town hall
It is Emmanuel Grégoire who comes forward to respond to the club, at the start of 2024. But, this time, the deputy mayor of Paris is reopening the door to negotiations. Which makes another deputy jump, David Belliard, from the environmentalist camp and against the sale, who makes it known on the microphone of South Radio : “It would pose a problem for me if Paris sold the Parc des Princes to Qatar. I will oppose any sale”. A few days later, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi counterattacked, once again, in the columns of Parisian : “Some say: We’re resuming discussions,” others don’t. Is it because we are Arabs? I don’t know. Is it legal to say that?”
Except that, in the meantime, David Belliard was sent back to the ropes by another assistant to Anne Hidalgo, Pierre Rabadan: “The club’s leaders must understand that David Belliard did not speak on behalf of Paris City Hall. Too late for PSG, which suggests through the media that it is considering building its own enclosure in Montigny-le-Bretonneux, on the Saint-Cloud racecourse or in Poissy, near its new training center. All while invoking a new player: Arctos, who entered the club’s capital in recent months. “One of the conditions (of the deal with Arctos) is to own the stadium. Otherwise ? We leave ! And that would be the worst choice.”promises Nasser Al-Khelaïfi in the Team January 9, 2024, before setting a deadline: “We have to be fixed within three months, otherwise we move.”