PSG ready to formalise plans to buy Stade de France
By Tom Gott
Paris Saint-Germain are ready to formally declare their interest in purchasing the Stade de France as their dispute over the ownership of their current home, Parc des Princes, rumbles on.
The Parisians currently lease the stadium from city officials and have invested £75m in structural improvements, and while they want to fund a £400m expansion, they have warned Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo that they will not do so unless they are also allowed to buy the stadium outright.
Hidalgo has publicly rejected PSG's offer, prompting the club to turn their attention to the Stade de France, the current home of the French national team.
The current lease to the Stade de France, held by Vinci-Bouygues, runs out in 2025 and the government have already requested declarations of interest in either renting the stadium or buying it altogether.
According to L'Equipe, PSG intend to do the latter on April 27 with a dossier to confirm their desire to acquire the Stade de France.
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All declarations will be judged primarily on whether PSG, or any other group, truly have the wealth needed to buy the stadium - in 2021, it was valued at €647m - while 30% of the decision will also be based on whether the ground can be maintained in future.
There are expected to be plenty of requests to buy the stadium rights from a number of global companies, but PSG will be the only club to join the running.
PSG are confident they can offer what is needed to buy the stadium, although their preference remains to acquire the rights to Parc des Princes.
Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is keen for PSG to host the Champions League final one day but the current home is not eligible to do so because of it's 48,000 capacity - UEFA rules demand at least 60,000 seats.
Expansions to Parc des Princes are on hold because of the ownership battle which could force PSG into a move elsewhere.
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