Paris FC

History

Foundation and relegation (1969–1973)

In 1969, the French Football Federation launched a project to establish a major football club in Paris, led by Fernand Sastre, Henri Patrelle and Guy Crescent. Paris FC was created with the aim of reaching the top division, and in 1970 it merged with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain. The partnership was short-lived, however, as disagreements over the club's identity and finances led to the split in 1972. Paris FC retained its place in Division 1, while PSG were relegated to Division 3.

Rebuilding and difficult years (1974–2024)

Paris FC struggled to establish itself among France's leading clubs. After PSG returned to the top flight and took over the Parc des Princes in 1974, Paris FC experienced financial problems, several changes of ownership and repeated relegations. The club briefly returned to Division 1 in 1978–79 but were relegated after one season. Further difficulties led to several rebrandings, including Racing Paris 1, Paris FC 98 and Paris FC 2000, before the club returned to the name Paris Football Club in 2005. Under Jean-Marc Pilorget, Paris FC won its Championnat de France Amateur group in 2006 and returned to the Championnat National, moving to the Stade Sébastien Charléty in 2007.

Following its return to the third tier, Paris FC spent several years rebuilding. The club eventually earned promotion to Ligue 2 in 2015, ending a 32-year absence from the second tier, although it was relegated after only one season. Paris FC returned to Ligue 2 in 2017 after SC Bastia's administrative relegation and gradually established itself as a competitive second-tier side.

In July 2020, the Kingdom of Bahrain became a strategic partner and acquired a 20% stake in Paris FC, while Pierre Ferracci remained the majority shareholder. The investment provided greater financial stability as the club continued to pursue promotion to Ligue 1.

Arnault Ownership (2024–present)

In October 2024, it was reported that the Arnault family would acquire a majority stake in Paris FC alongside a minority investment from Red Bull. The takeover was completed on 29 November, with Agache Sport holding 52.4%, Pierre Ferracci's Alter Paris holding 29.8%, Red Bull 10.6% and BRI 7.2%. Ferracci remained club president, while the new ownership brought greater financial resources and ambitions to the project.

On 2 May 2025, the club secured promotion to Ligue 1 after a 1–1 draw with Martigues, returning to France's top division for the first time since 1979. Paris FC's first Ligue 1 season since 1979 brought a mixture of experienced players and younger talent. Stéphane Gilli was replaced by Antoine Kombouaré during the season, and the club ultimately finished 11th, comfortably avoiding relegation. The campaign ended with a 2–1 home victory over Paris Saint-Germain at Stade Jean-Bouin, while Paris FC had also defeated PSG 1–0 in the Coupe de France earlier in the season to record their first competitive victory over their city rivals. Following the season, Kombouaré left the club by mutual agreement and was replaced by Liam Rosenior in July 2026.

Identity

Denomination

The identity of Paris FC has evolved significantly since its creation, shaped by mergers, political influence, and rebranding efforts to reinforce its association with the French capital. Initially formed in 1969 through a French Football Federation (FFF) initiative to establish a major Parisian club, Paris FC merged in 1970 with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). However, the union was short-lived. In 1972, under pressure from the Paris City Council—which refused to support a club based outside the city and demanded a more Parisian identity—the two entities split.

In the following years, Paris FC undertook several identity changes to strengthen its connection with Paris. During a brief return to the top flight in 1978–79, the club temporarily rebranded as "Paris 1" with backing from Europe 1 radio and the city council. In the early 1980s, the club again changed its name to "Racing Paris 1" after merging with Racing Club de France's first team, a move driven by businessman Jean-Luc Lagardère’s ambition to create a dominant Parisian club. The merger left the original Paris FC entity relegated to the amateur divisions under the name "Paris Football Club 83". Further branding efforts followed in the 1990s: in 1991, the club became "Paris FC 98" to align with France's bid to host the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and in 1996, it was renamed "Paris FC 2000", before eventually, in 2005, the club returned to its original name, "Paris Football Club".

Colours

Paris FC's club colors have evolved significantly since its inception, reflecting its complex history and identity. Initially, following the 1970 merger with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the team adopted red and blue to represent Paris and white to symbolize the royal town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. After the 1972 split from PSG, Paris FC chose orange kits, influenced by their sponsor Bic, marking a period of corporate branding but also a departure from the club's earlier colors. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, the club switched to sky blue, a nod to its historical ties with Racing Club de France, whose colors were sky blue. In the early 2000s, Paris FC moved to dark navy blue, a color that connects to Paris's historical symbolism, notably through the Eiffel Tower and Paris's coat of arms, both of which use similar tones.

Crest evolution

The club's first crest was consisted of a blue football features a minimalist circular design centered around a stylized white nave, a direct reference to the coat of arms of the city of Paris. The nave symbolizes the Nautes, a powerful guild of boatmen and merchants who managed the Parisian municipality during the Middle Ages. The surrounding circle is blue with red and white outlines, subtly echoing the French tricolore, reinforcing the club’s identity as deeply Parisian and French.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Paris FC adopted a more ornate and complex crest shaped like a stylized football, the badge incorporated dark blue and black tones. At the top of the crest, a detailed rendering of the Eiffel Tower asserting the club's Parisian identity, while the central nave remained as a consistent symbol of the city's medieval and municipal legacy.

From 2011 onwards, Paris FC introduced a logo is shaped like a navy blue shield with rounded sky blue contours, exuding a professional and polished appearance. A stylized Eiffel Tower dominated the design, rendered in a minimalist and elegant line form, reinforcing the club's deep connection to the city of Paris. At the base of the crest, the nave reappeared once more, with the "Paris FC" written on top.

Grounds

Stadiums

Since its founding, Paris FC has played in several stadiums, most notably the Parc des Princes, Stade Déjerine, Stade Charléty, and, more recently, the Stade Jean-Bouin. The club played its home games at the newly rebuilt Parc des Princes from 1972 to 1974, and again in 1978–79, during its brief spells in Division 1, sharing the ground with Paris Saint-Germain at the time. Following the club's relegation in 1974, the team moved to the aging Stade de la Porte de Montreuil, later renamed Stade Déjerine, a modest ground with limited capacity. Paris FC remained there for many years, despite suffering from poor facilities and even a fire that destroyed the dressing rooms during the 1974–75 season.

In 1999, Paris FC temporarily moved to the Stade Charléty as part of a bid to return to professional football, but after relegation, they returned to Déjerine until 2007. That year, they permanently settled at Stade Charléty, and in 2013, due to low attendance and loosened FFF regulations, the club returned again to Déjerine for a short period.

In February 2025, Paris FC reached a landmark agreement with Stade Français to move into the Stade Jean-Bouin starting in the 2025–26 season. Located in the 16th arrondissement across the street from the Parc des Princes, Jean-Bouin offers a more enclosed and football-friendly environment. The move was strongly supported by Red Bull's Head of Global Soccer Jürgen Klopp, who pushed for the change due to Charléty’s poor matchday experience. Klopp believed the distant seating and track at Charléty diminished both fan engagement and player performance. The move aligned with Red Bull's football vision to build an intense and supportive home atmosphere and elevate Paris FC’s competitive stature in French football.

Supporters

The club had over 20,000 supporter members at the time of its formation. In 1970, the club merged with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain F.C., but quickly left the merger. In the 1973 season, the first after leaving, the club still averaged an attendance of 13,202. However, after that, the two clubs' fortunes varied drastically, and as PSG's popularity rose, PFC fell into obscurity and languished in the amateur divisions. It is only when it reached the third tier its popularity started growing again. The club currently attracts thousands of fans for each league match.

In the 2000s the club had a supporter group called Blue Wolves founded in 2008. Officially apolitical, they tended to have right-wing views. However they were disbanded in 2010 after several hooligan incidents occurred, the last of which during a match against Gueugnon.

They were replaced by the group Old Clan, founded in 2010, and ultras group Ultras Lutetia founded in the summer of 2014. After the expulsion of PSG fans from Parc des Princes in 2010, PFC has attracted some of that support, particularly from the left-wing group Virage Auteuil.

Rivalries

Paris FC have a rivalry with fellow Parisian side Paris Saint-Germain. Paris FC competed in Ligue 2 from 1973 to 1977 and finally achieved promotion to Ligue 1 in the 1977–78 season. The first Paris Derby took place in 1978–79. This match was held on 18 August 1978, at Paris Saint-Germain's Parc des Princes, and ended in a 2–2 draw. The return game, on 17 December 1978 at Parc des Princes, was a 1–1 draw. By the end of that season, Paris FC were relegated back to Ligue 2.

In the 2024–25 Ligue 2 season, Paris FC won promotion to Ligue 1 after 46 years, marking the return of the Paris derby. The club has rivalries with fellow neighbours Créteil and Red Star. with whom they contest the Parisian derbies.

Players

Current squad

As of 9 September 2026

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Notable players

Below are the notable former players who have represented Paris and its predecessors in league and international competition since the club's foundation in 1969. To appear in the section below, a player must have played in at least 80 official matches for the club.

For a complete list of Paris players, see Category:Paris FC players

Management and staff

Board

As of 24 September 2025

Honours

League

Ligue 2 (second tier)

Runners-up (2) 1977–78 (Group B), 2024–25

Ligue 3 (third tier)

Runners-up: 2014–15

Championnat National 1/French Division 4

Winners: 2005–06 (Group D)

Runners-up: 1988–89