Derby Day: Paris FC and PSG reunited after 53 years
For the first time since the 1989–90 season, two Parisian clubs are competing in Ligue 1 McDonald’s, and for the first time ever, their home stadiums sit less than a street-length apart. The image has already done the rounds on social media: the Parc des Princes and Stade Jean-Bouin, separated only by the Boulevard Murat.
This weekend, that proximity takes on a competitive edge. Paris Saint-Germain and Paris FC face each other at the Parc des Princes, kicking off the new year with a historic Paris derby — a fixture that would have seemed unthinkable just a few seasons ago.
Two clubs, one neighbourhood
The south-west of the capital is now home to not one, but two Ligue 1 clubs. Nestled between the affluent Auteuil neighbourhood and the Bois de Boulogne, the Parc des Princes and Stade Jean-Bouin will share the spotlight throughout the 2025–26 season.
With a capacity of around 20,000, Stade Jean-Bouin — traditionally the home of rugby side Stade Français — will host Paris FC during their maiden campaign back in the elite. The stadium is no stranger to football tenants, having previously housed FC Versailles and Red Star FC, but this marks the first time it will stage Ligue 1 football.
Constructed and inaugurated in 1926, Jean-Bouin has always stood shoulder to shoulder with the Parc des Princes, originally conceived as a multi-sport venue for athletics and rugby. Nearly a century later, it has become central to one of the most unusual top-flight cohabitations in European football.
PSG and Paris FC: a shared past
Paris FC and Paris Saint-Germain are bound by a history that makes this reunion uniquely symbolic. Paris Football Club were founded in 1969 with the ambition of creating a true “grand club du capital”. To accelerate that project, they merged with Division 2 side Stade Saint-Germain, based in Saint-Germain-en-Laye — birthplace of Louis XIV.
The new entity became Paris Saint-Germain, but the marriage was short-lived. In 1972, disagreements with the Paris municipality — unhappy that the capital’s club was based in the suburbs — led to a split. Paris FC retained Division 1 status and moved into the Parc des Princes, while PSG were administratively relegated to the third tier.
History would quickly turn. PSG won promotion to Division 1 in 1974, the same season Paris FC were relegated. PSG took ownership of the Parc des Princes and never looked back, while Paris FC saw their professional structure absorbed by a revived Racing Club de Paris project and were sent tumbling down to the fourth division.
What followed was a long, often painful journey back to professionalism — and now, finally, back to Ligue 1.
The start of a rivalry?
If Paris FC and PSG are often described as brothers separated at birth, then this weekend marks the closest they have been since they were the same club over half a century ago.
Paris FC’s takeover last year signalled the beginning of a new era, with ambitious backers keen to shake up the footballing hierarchy in the capital. For now, however, the gap between the two sides remains significant.
Paris FC’s objective this season is simple: survival. Their form prior to the winter break suggested that avoiding relegation will be a genuine challenge. January reinforcements are expected, but none will arrive in time to influence this first-ever Ligue 1 derby against PSG.
As for the reigning champions, PSG’s form before the break was uneven. They were pushed hard by relegation favourites Metz in their final match of 2025, underlining some lingering inconsistencies. The winter break may prove timely, particularly with key attacking figures such as Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé either injured or short of rhythm before the pause.
This weekend’s meeting may not yet decide the balance of power in Paris — but it does mark the beginning of something new. For the first time in decades, Paris is no longer a one-club city.
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