Due to an unplayable pitch at the Parc des Princes, the Matchday 1 fixture of the 2026-2027 Ligue 1 season between Paris Saint-Germain and Rennes had to be relocated just days before the game. It will ultimately take place at Roazhon Park, Rennes’ home ground. Now, the two clubs are at odds over the return fixture, scheduled for the weekend of March 6 (Matchday 23). Rennes wants to host that match as well, arguing that the heatwave does not meet the “exceptional circumstances” criteria defined in LFP regulations, whereas Paris would like to play at the Parc des Princes. Nicolas De Tavernost, Chairman of the Board at Rennes, defended his club’s stance in comments to Ouest-France.
“We will argue that a failure to maintain a pitch does not constitute an exceptional circumstance. There are regulations, and they must be applied. We are not at fault in this matter; we need to set the record straight.”
It is clear that Rennes has no intention of backing down on this issue. Their position is that the heatwave—along with the fungus that also affected the Parc des Princes pitch—was not an exceptional event and cannot justify swapping home and away fixtures. Ultimately, it was Rennes that stepped in to salvage a situation mishandled by PSG. Regardless of the decision the LFP reaches, tensions between the two clubs are bound to run high.
While Rennes is certainly not to blame for the venue change this Sunday, there is a difference between acting with class and fair play and fighting to secure extra revenue—especially given that tickets for Sunday’s match are already sold out. This undermines the argument that the Breton club is disadvantaged by a stadium that is difficult to fill. Whether or not this heatwave is exceptional, the discussion could just as well be opened regarding floods or frozen pitches—phenomena that are not exactly rare, yet have always been managed without raising the same questions. Let’s hope the dispute doesn’t escalate too far and is resolved quickly; French football really doesn’t need yet another public rift.
