The Ile-de-France region reserves space for the future PSG stadium

Around fifty hectares would be reserved for the future facility, the precise location of which is not yet known, according to an amendment by the executive to the regional development plan (SDRIF) voted on Wednesday, which creates a land envelope making the project possible.

Town halls in the Paris region have already put themselves forward as candidates, including those of Montigny-le-Bretonneux (Yvelines) and Aulnay-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis).

Paris-Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi announced in February that he wanted to "move" from the Parc des Princes because Paris city hall refused to give him the legendary Porte d'Auteuil stadium in the southwest of the capital.

The Parisian club, which has a thirty-year lease with the city council, owner of the Parc des Princes, until the end of 2043, considers that the acquisition of the stadium is essential to successfully complete its expansion project to 60.000 seats, compared to around 48.000 currently.

The Paris city hall assured for its part that its door was "open" to PSG and that there were "other solutions" than the sale so that the club could remain at the Parc des Princes.

"Although the regional executive has positioned itself on numerous occasions in favour of Paris Saint-Germain remaining at the Parc des Princes, the blocking by the City of Paris seems to call into question the sustainability of the stadium," said the region chaired by Valérie Pécresse (LR) in a press release.

The amendment "is the response to a request from the club," PSG management stressed to AFP.

"Many municipalities have made appeals to gain publicity," but the club has not yet determined the location of its future stadium and "is carrying out serious studies," adds this source.

The region's decision was contested in session by opposition elected officials, such as Jean-Marc Germain (socialist, ecologist and radical group), who sees it as a "business" for PSG.

"You are preparing to offer a 50-hectare plateau not to PSG but to Qatari businessmen in the name of your media war with (the mayor of Paris) Anne Hidalgo," the LFI elected officials castigated.

Céline Malaisé (left communist, ecologist and citizen) denounced a project which will, according to her, destroy agricultural land.