Paris Saint-Germain move Rennes opener to Roazhon Park because of heat-damaged pitch

Paris Saint-Germain will play their opening Ligue 1 match against Rennes at the Roazhon Park stadium after the condition of the Parc des Princes pitch deteriorated following a prolonged period of extreme heat.

The French champions are scheduled to face Rennes on Sunday, 23 August, but the game will no longer be staged at their usual home ground.

Paris Saint-Germain said the decision followed “the recent heatwave, which came after a series of exceptional heatwaves that affected the Paris region this summer, significantly accelerating the deterioration of the Parc des Princes pitch”.

The club added: “In light of this situation, the French Professional Football League, in consultation with Paris Saint-Germain, carried out an assessment of the condition of the pitch. This assessment concluded that the current conditions do not allow the match to be played in satisfactory circumstances, particularly with regard to the safety and physical health of the players, which remain the top priority.”

The fixture will instead be held at Roazhon Park, the home of Rennes.

Paris Saint-Germain are now working to replace the surface at the Parc des Princes before their next home match. That game will be against Monaco in the third round of Ligue 1 on 4 September.

The change of venue means the reigning Ligue 1 champions will begin their domestic title defence away from their normal stadium, despite Rennes being listed as the opponents for the opening round.

The decision comes at the start of a season in which Paris Saint-Germain have already contested two major fixtures. They began the campaign by winning the European Super Cup against English club Aston Villa, before losing the French Super Cup to Lens.

The condition of the Parc des Princes playing surface became a concern after the recent run of unusually intense heat in and around Paris. Following its review, the French Professional Football League concluded that the pitch was not suitable for hosting the match under acceptable conditions.

Player welfare was identified as the central consideration in the decision to move the fixture. Paris Saint-Germain’s statement made clear that the club and the league had assessed not only the quality of the playing surface but also the potential effect on the safety and physical wellbeing of those involved.

The club will therefore have additional time to prepare the Parc des Princes pitch before Monaco’s visit in early September. Until then, its first home fixture of the Ligue 1 season will be played at Rennes’ Roazhon Park rather than in Paris.