After the Olympics, the future of Parc des Princes is more uncertain than ever. Nasser Al-Khelaïfi wants to purchase the stadium for expansion, but the city refuses to sell it. The ongoing conflict encompasses strategic, economic, and symbolic issues.

Dispute between city and club continues

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo refuses to relinquish this valuable land in a district where a square meter costs around €10,000. She categorically rejects the idea of selling the capital’s heritage. However, the Qatari fund, the club’s majority shareholder since 2011, threatens to move PSG elsewhere. In January last year, President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi told journalists, We know what we want, and this is the end for us.

It's either buy it or leave. To proceed with the stadium expansion project, PSG wants ownership. The project, which includes an additional 12,000 seats, promises higher matchday revenues. From the beginning, Paris Saint-Germain's Qatari strategy involved owning Parc des Princes to increase the club's value and escape public oversight, said Guillaume Gouze, an economic advisor specializing in stadiums. In his view, the conflict between PSG’s owners and the city is irreconcilable.

© Chabe01 (CC BY-SA 4.0) | Parc des Princes

Is there only one option left?

As a result, PSG initially considered relocating to Stade de France, but this option was quickly dismissed for economic reasons. The idea also faced significant opposition from the community. Therefore, the only solution remains building a new stadium. However, first, they need to find land: at least 50 hectares, within 20 km of Paris.

What will happen to Parc des Princes without PSG? With no resident club, it reverts to the city of Paris, and the maintenance costs are quite high. Will it be demolished? Will another club play there? If so, which one? This is a real issue of public management that Paris will face, continues Guillaume Gouze.

© Dariusz Figura | Stade de France

Appeal of Parc des Princes remains strong

On August 23, PSG will return to Parc des Princes. Despite Kylian Mbappé’s departure, tickets for the match against Montpellier are selling out rapidly. There were concerns about a possible decline in enthusiasm following the exit of the team’s last superhero. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. As of August 22, 98% of the 36,000 season ticket holders have renewed their subscriptions for this season, matching the renewal rate from 2022, the year Mbappé extended his contract. This figure represents nearly 75% of the stadium's total capacity.

In the 2022/2023 season, PSG’s matchday revenues were estimated at €153 million, an increase of around €20 million compared to the previous season. While the figures for the latest season haven't been disclosed, the club's ambition was clearly to continue this momentum, limited only by the capacity of Parc des Princes.