PSG forced to relocate season opener after Parc des Princes pitch damaged by heatwaves
Paris St-Germain have been forced to move their opening Ligue 1 match after the summer's "exceptional heatwaves" left the Parc des Princes pitch "severely damaged", the LFP said on 20 August 2026.
PSG had been due to begin their title defence against Rennes on Sunday in Paris; the club won Ligue 1 by six points in 2025-26 and Rennes finished sixth, qualifying for the Europa League. The decision to change the venue follows an inspection of the stadium surface.
Ligue de Football Professionnel officials said an assessment of the pitch in Paris "did not allow the match to be played under satisfactory conditions, particularly with regard to the safety and physical integrity of the players". The statement cited the condition of the turf as the primary reason for the move.
PSG announced they will replace the Parc des Princes pitch before their next home fixture against Monaco on 4 September. The club said they "fully understand the inconvenience caused by this change" but stressed it was an "exceptional situation".
French national weather records show the country experienced its hottest day on average on 24 June, with temperatures reaching almost 41C in Paris and roughly half the nation placed under a red heat alert. Officials pointed to the extreme temperatures this summer as a factor in the deterioration of playing surfaces.
Health data cited in the report recorded an increase of 2,025 deaths between 22 and 28 June — described as nearly 30% — and a 62% rise in deaths in the Paris region during the same period. The piece also noted wildfires have burned through areas of France amid the spell of high temperatures across western Europe.
Spanish club Celta Vigo were also mentioned after being forced to postpone their La Liga opener against Osasuna earlier this month when a fungal "disease" affected the pitch at the Estadio de Balaidos. The outbreak on Celta's surface grew over the summer, during a spell when temperatures did not drop below 25C for over three weeks.
The scheduled Ligue 1 opener will now be reversed and held in Brittany instead of Paris, with PSG set to complete the pitch replacement ahead of the Monaco match on 4 September.
