PSG Move Ligue 1 Opener After Heatwave Damages Parc des Princes Pitch

PSG Move Ligue 1 Opener After Heatwave Damages Parc des Princes Pitch
Extreme heat severely affected the Parc des Princes playing surface.
Rennes will host PSG before the return fixture moves to Paris.

Paris Saint Germain have had their opening Ligue 1 fixture against Rennes moved after an exceptional summer heatwave severely damaged the pitch at the Parc des Princes.

The French champions were scheduled to begin their title defence at home on Sunday. However, the Ligue de Football Professionnel has reversed the fixture, with Rennes now set to host PSG in Brittany.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the return fixture will subsequently be played at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

The LFP made the decision after inspecting the stadium pitch and determining that it could not host the match under satisfactory conditions.

The league body said the condition of the playing surface raised concerns over “the safety and physical integrity of the players”.

PSG said they would replace the pitch ahead of their next home league match against Monaco on September 4.

The club acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the fixture change but described the situation as “exceptional”.

The decision followed an intense period of extreme heat across France. The country recorded its hottest day on average on June 24, while temperatures in Paris reached almost 41 degrees Celsius.

Authorities subsequently placed half of France under a red heat alert as the country experienced severe temperatures.

The heatwave also coincided with a significant increase in deaths across the country.

France recorded 2,025 more deaths between June 22 and 28, representing an increase of nearly 30 per cent. Deaths in the Paris region rose by 62 per cent during the same period.

The extreme weather has also affected football pitches in other parts of Europe.

Spanish club Celta Vigo postponed their La Liga opening fixture against Osasuna earlier this month after fungal disease damaged the playing surface at Estadio de Balaidos.

The fungus reportedly spread during an extended period in which temperatures remained above 25 degrees Celsius for more than three weeks.

PSG Move Ligue 1 Opener After Heatwave Damages Parc des Princes Pitch

PSG will now begin their Ligue 1 title defence away from home against Rennes, while the rescheduled return fixture will give the club additional time to install a new pitch at the Parc des Princes.

The change highlights the growing impact of extreme weather conditions on football infrastructure and match scheduling across Europe.