Two Parisian football clubs are now owned by billionaires. But for the time being the contrast between the two clubs remains very great.
A remarkable match is scheduled for next Sunday in Ligue 1: the first confrontation between two Parisian clubs in the highest French football league since 1990. Then Racing Club de Paris and Paris Saint-Germain faced each other. This time crosses PSG the swords with Paris FCwhich was promoted to Ligue 1 last season after a 46-year absence.
Both clubs are, at least when it comes to their history, closely intertwined. Paris FC was founded in 1969 and merged with Stade Saint-Germainois a year later to form Paris Saint-Germain FC. To maintain subsidies from the city of Paris, the club split in 1972. Paris FC remained the professional team, PSG became the amateur club. Two years later, Paris FC was relegated, while PSG was promoted. Since then, PSG has dominated Parisian football.
Paris FC’s Stade Jean-Bouin is located right next to PSG’s Parc des Princes.
This season PSG has a new neighbor. Almost literally, because PSG’s Parc des Princes, in the west of Paris, is right next to the Stade Jean-Bouin. Paris FC will share that stadium with rugby club Stade Français for the first time this season. In recent years, the team has played its home games in the smaller Stade Déjerine, at the Porte de Montreuil in the east of Paris.
Arnault Club
The promotion of Paris FC last season was a milestone for the new owners. Since October 2024, the Arnault family, through the holding company Agache Sport, has been the majority shareholder with 52.4 percent. Bernard Arnault, CEO of luxury group LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Moët Hennessy), has an estimated fortune of around 175 billion euros and is one of the richest people in the world. His son Antoine leads the football project as director. He used to be an avid PSG supporter, but he says that does not hinder his position.
Arnault also emphasized that the takeover by his family does not mean that many hundreds of millions of euros will immediately be pumped into the club. ‘We aim for sustainable growth.’ Chairman Pierre Ferracci, the majority shareholder of Paris FC until 2024, also emphasized that retention in Ligue 1 is the first goal, followed by longer-term European ambitions.
Despite this cautious approach, Paris FC’s budget increased from 30 million to 130 million euros, the fourth largest budget in Ligue 1. Last summer, the club also attracted 50 million euros worth of new players.
Nevertheless, the focus is on local talents. ‘Paris is considered one of the largest breeding grounds for football talent in the world. And so we want to build a team with six to eight players from our own youth,” Antoine Arnault said after the takeover.
Energy drink manufacturer Red Bull plays a crucial role in that philosophy, which acquired a minority stake of more than 10 percent in Paris FC when the Arnault family took over. Jürgen Klopp, former Liverpool coach and global football manager within the Red Bull empire since January 2025, advises the club on scouting and youth training.
Two worlds, one city
However, the gap with PSG remains very large. In 2011 and 2012, PSG was completely taken over by Qatar Sports in two stages Investments. Last season, the Qatari owners crowned their investment with a historic one treble: PSG won the French title, the French Cup and, for the first time in club history, the Champions League.
PSG’s budget is estimated at 850 million euros, that of Paris FC 130 million.
This season, PSG has an estimated budget of 850 million euros. According to transfermarkt.com, the player core is worth approximately one billion euros, more than ten times that of Paris FC. PSG also plays in front of an average of 47,000 spectators in the Parc des Princes, while Paris FC attracts an average of ‘only’ 17,000 fans.
Despite the investments, the first season in Ligue 1 is not without problems for Paris FC. At the winter break, the club was fourteenth, five points above a direct relegation place. PSG is in second place after the sixteenth match day, one point behind leader Lens. Sunday’s derby is therefore of sporting importance, but will mainly be framed as the clash between the Qataris and the Arnaults.
