Paris Saint-Germain Féminine

History

Foundation and rise to the top flight

A year after the foundation of the club, Paris Saint-Germain created their women's section in the summer of 1971 after the French Football Federation (FFF) gave the green light to female football. PSG signed 33 women for the 1971–72 season and the newly formed team began life in the Ligue de Paris, the lowest level of the football pyramid. They finished second that campaign, their best result ever, and continued life in the Parisian championship for seven more years, albeit with less success.

Ahead of the 1979–80 season, PSG were promoted to the top flight of French football, the Première Ligue, after it went from 20 to 48 teams. Their inaugural stint, however, only lasted three seasons, and PSG were relegated back to Seconde Ligue in 1982. The Red and Blues bounced between the two top divisions over the next 19 years. Following a dramatic 1999–2000 season in which they missed promotion to the elite by losing their last match against promotion contenders Schiltigheim, PSG finally steadied the ship in 2001. Led by coach Sébastien Thierry and young defender Laura Georges, the team won 16 out of 18 games played in Group A to claim back their place amongst the best in France. PSG would then clinch the 2000–01 Seconde Ligue title by defeating Group C leader Tours in the final. Since then, Paris SG have never been relegated from the Première Ligue.

From mid-table team to first major title

Under incoming manager Cyril Combettes, Paris Saint-Germain remained without major problems in the Première Ligue but nowhere near the top teams. In the summer of 2005, starlets Sabrina Delannoy and Laure Boulleau signed from CNFE Clairefontaine. Together, they played more than 400 matches with PSG, being their two most capped players. The defending duo experienced everything with the capital side: relegation battles, mid-table finishes, title races and the club's first major trophy. Men and women confounded, Delannoy is PSG's sixth most capped player ever, only behind male counterparts Jean-Marc Pilorget, Sylvain Armand, Safet Sušić, Paul Le Guen, and Marco Verratti.

At the end of March 2007, Cyril Combettes resigned due to relationship problems with the players. He was replaced by Eric Leroy for the 2007–08 season. Despite a difficult start, including a heavy defeat to Montpellier in the first match, the season was a success. Under Leroy's direction, the team finished in fifth place and reached their maiden Challenge de France final. Having crashed out at the same stage in 2005, the Red and Blues learned their lesson and defeated Parisian Derby rivals Paris FC (at the time called Juvisy) in the semi-finals. OL Lyonnes, however, proved too strong for PSG in the title-decider at the Stade de France, easily taking home the cup with three unanswered strikes.

Following a disappointing 2008–09 season, Camillo Vaz replaced Éric Leroy in June 2009. PSG recruited French internationals Élise Bussaglia, Julie Soyer, and Jessica Houara during that summer. The women's team then celebrated their 38th birthday by making their debut at the Parc des Princes. Usually reserved for the men's side, PSG hosted city rivals Paris FC at the stadium on October 18, 2009. In front of 5,892 spectators, they defeated their guests thanks to an early goal from Camille Abily. The 2009–10 campaign ended with a third place, a first for them on the podium. Better yet, the Parisians also reached their second Challenge de France final after eliminating juggernauts Lyon in the semi-finals.

Noilhan had left the club shortly before the final, leaving Vaz as the sole coach. This, however, did not stop PSG from crushing defending champions Montpellier at the Stade Robert Bobin to claim their first major title as well as their second trophy ever and their first since 2001. Emblematic club striker Ingrid Boyeldieu, who would retire at the end of the season, opened the scoring in the first half. After the break, PSG added four more goals for a brutal 5–0 scoreline, the largest victory in the history of cup finals.

European debut and Qatari takeover

The 2010–11 season marked a turning point for Paris. In the summer, Brazilian star Kátia joined on a free signing from Lyon. PSG finished league runners-up behind heavyweights OL Lyonnes and qualified to the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time in their history. The Parisians dramatically defeated second-placed Montpellier in the final game of the season, with team captain Sabrina Delannoy scoring the winning penalty in stoppage time. Élise Bussaglia was named Première Ligue Féminine Player of the Season.

Exempted from the group stage, PSG made their European debut by comfortably eliminating Irish side Peamount in the Round of 16, before being themselves ousted by German giants and future finalists 1. FFC Frankfurt. The rest of the 2011–12 campaign, however, was not as successful. Undermined by the injuries of key players Léa Rubio, Laure Lepailleur, and Caroline Pizzala, the team lost its grip and finished in fourth place after suffering a heavy defeat at home to Île-de-France rivals Paris FC. As a result, coach Camillo Vaz left the club at the end of the season.

PSG bounced back immediately with the professionalisation of the team by new club owners Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) ahead of the 2012–13 campaign. They spent big to build a team capable of competing with the best clubs in France and Europe, including Lyon, and signed its 21 players to a federal contract, something unprecedented in women's football. Renowned international players Shirley Cruz, Kosovare Asllani, Annike Krahn, and Linda Bresonik were the first to arrive, as well as Farid Benstiti, the coach who guided Lyon to four consecutive league titles. A season later, PSG recruited Marie-Laure Delie, the first women's football transfer in France, for €50k. As part of this revolution, PSG also moved to the Stade Sébastien Charléty in 2012 and then to the Stade Jean-Bouin in 2018, abandoning the smaller Stade Georges Lefèvre, which had been their home stadium since 1971.

Lyon rivalry and second cup title

These investments allowed PSG to challenge OL Lyonnes, with the duo developing a heated rivalry dubbed as Le Classique. Lyon still kept a head start over Paris during the 2010s, clinching a record 14 consecutive league titles between 2007 and 2020. PSG managed a few important victories during that time, though. League and cup runners-up behind Lyon in 2013–14, they recorded their first ever win over the champions in January 2014, with a solitary goal from Laura Georges at the Stade de Gerland. It was Lyon's first league defeat at home since March 2010, an unbeaten streak spanning 87 matches.

PSG repeated the feat in 2014–15, this time in the Champions League, as Fatmire Alushi scored the only goal at Gerland to eliminate Lyon in the last 16. Nonetheless, the season ended in disappointment; Paris finished second to Lyon and lost the 2015 UEFA Women's Champions League final to Frankfurt at the last second. Lyon retaliated in 2015–16 by claiming the championship and then crushing PSG in the Champions League semi-finals. They scored seven times without response, inflicting PSG's biggest defeat in the continental competition and one of their biggest ever. Even worse, Paris finished third in the league and missed qualification to the Champions League. The club did not renew Farid Benstiti's contract and was replaced by Patrice Lair, another former Lyon coach.

The two sides were back at it again in 2016–17. PSG first beat their rivals, also by a 1–0 margin, in December 2016 despite Lyon still managing to retain the league title. Then, they crossed paths in the Coupe de France Féminine final, won by Lyon after an endless penalty shoot-out, and in the 2017 UEFA Women's Champions League final, which also had to be decided on penalties. The teams could not be separated after seven kicks each until PSG goalkeeper Katarzyna Kiedrzynek stepped up and missed. Her counterpart Sarah Bouhaddi converted her effort and handed Lyon the European victory. With Bernard Mendy on the bench, filling in after the surprise departure of Lair, the capital outfit exacted revenge on Lyon in the 2017–18 season by defeating them in the Coupe de France final in May 2018, with a solitary goal from French international striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto.

First league championship and decline

Olivier Echouafni was named manager in June 2018, while Mendy stayed on as his assistant. Paris finished league runners-up in 2018–19 and 2019–20, while losing the Coupe de France and Trophée des Championnes to Lyon as well. In Echouafni's third season in charge, PSG ended Lyon's 80-game unbeaten league streak in November 2020 to leapfrog them and go top of the table. Once more, Katoto scored the lone goal of a game played behind closed doors at the Parc des Princes.

PSG subsequently secured a crucial goalless draw away to Lyon before defeating Dijon on the final matchday to claim their first Première Ligue title, ending their rivals' run of 14 consecutive league championships. They also brought an end to Lyon's dominance in the UEFA Women's Champions League by staging a notable comeback to deny them a sixth consecutive European title, although PSG were later eliminated by Barcelona in the semifinals.

However, PSG subsequently struggled, reflecting years of transfer mismanagement and strategic inconsistency. The club's only notable successes were two additional Coupe de France titles, both achieved after eliminating Lyon, first with an 8–0 victory over second-tier Yzeure in 2022 and later with a 1–0 win against Fleury in the 2024 final, decided by a goal from Lieke Martens.

Despite a substantial budget, PSG allowed several core French players to leave for Lyon or abroad and failed to establish a coherent long-term sporting strategy. The club also experienced significant managerial instability, appointing a different manager each season since Olivier Echouafni's departure in 2021, including Didier Ollé-Nicolle (2021–22), Gérard Prêcheur (2022–23), Jocelyn Prêcheur (2023–24), Fabrice Abriel (2024–25), and Paulo César (2025–26), who launched a youth-focused project.

Under sporting director Angelo Castelazzi, recruitment remained inconsistent, with Sakina Karchaoui and Griedge Mbock Bathy among the few notable signings. Numerous leading French players—such as Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Kadidiatou Diani, Sandy Baltimore, Constance Picaud, and Grace Geyoro—alongside prominent foreign players including Christiane Endler, Lieke Martens, Tabitha Chawinga, Ashley Lawrence, and Sara Däbritz, departed in successive seasons. This period of stagnation, and at times regression, culminated in PSG's elimination from the 2025–26 UEFA Women's Champions League after finishing 17th out of 18 in the league phase, following a shock qualifying-round exit to Juventus the previous year. Domestically, PSG also fell behind Paris FC, who defeated them in the 2025 Coupe de France Féminine final.

Grounds

Stadiums

Between 1971 and 2012, Paris Saint-Germain played their home matches at the Stade Georges Lefèvre, the main stadium of Camp des Loges, the club's training ground. PSG relocated to the Stade Sébastien Charléty in 2012, when the team turned professional. They returned to the Georges Lefèvre in 2017, before moving to the Stade Jean-Bouin in 2018. PSG continued to use the Georges Lefèvre whenever the Jean-Bouin wasn't available until January 2024, when they moved to Campus PSG, the club's new training facility in Poissy. The main stadium of Campus PSG, with a capacity of 1,100 spectators, is now their home ground as well, except for matches relocated to the Parc des Princes or Jean-Bouin. They played their first game at Campus PSG on January 9, 2024, cruising to a 6–0 win over Lille OSC in Première Ligue. This was also the very first official match played there.

Usually reserved for the men's side, the Parc des Princes serves as the women's home ground for big domestic and European matches. After 38 years of existence, PSG made their debut at the stadium in a league game against Parisian rivals Paris FC on October 18, 2009. Camille Abily scored the only goal of the match to hand PSG the win. Their European debut, and second game overall, came on March 28, 2015, against Glasgow City for the quarterfinals of the 2014–15 UEFA Women's Champions League. PSG won 5–0. Another big night at the arena was the club's 1–0 league victory – courtesy of Marie-Antoinette Katoto's lone goal – over arch-rivals OL Lyonnes in November 2020. PSG also broke the national home attendance record when they hosted Lyon at the Parc des Princes on April 30, 2022. The UEFA Champions League clash attracted 43,254 spectators, who saw the Parisians fell to a 1–2 defeat.

Training facilities

Campus PSG, located in Poissy, has been the club's training ground since January 2024. Camp des Loges was previously the club's training facility from 1971 until 2012, when it moved to Bougival. PSG briefly returned to Camp des Loges in June 2023, before definitely moving into Campus PSG. Owned and funded by the club, it houses the men's football team, the women's football team, and the football academy, as well as the handball and judo teams and their academies. Campus PSG will feature a stadium that will complement the club's stadium, the Parc des Princes, which will be built during the second phase of the project, after 2024. With a capacity of 5,000 spectators, including more than 3,000 seats, the stadium will host PSG's academy and women's team matches in the UEFA Youth League and the UEFA Women's Champions League.

Records

Club

All-time record win: 19–0 away to Bourges 18, Coupe de France Féminine, 8 January 2017.

All-time record defeat: 1–9 away to Hénin-Beaumont, Première Ligue, 18 September 1994.

Record win in Première Ligue: 14–0 away to Issy, 14 November 2020.

Record defeat in Première Ligue: 0–7 home to Montpellier, 8 June 2008.

Record win in Coupe de France Féminine: 19–0 away to Bourges 18, 8 January 2017.

Record defeat in Coupe de France Féminine: 0–7 home to Paris FC, 5 May 2005.

Record win in UEFA Women's Champions League: 9–0 home to Olimpia Cluj, 14 October 2015.

Record defeat in UEFA Women's Champions League: 0–7 away to Lyon, 23 April 2016.

Highest home attendance: 43,254 vs. Lyon, UEFA Women's Champions League, 30 April 2022 (National Record).

First match at the Parc des Princes: 1–0 vs. Paris FC, Première Ligue, 18 October 2009.

Individual

Most goals in a match: 7 – Nadia Nadim (vs. Issy, Première Ligue, 14 November 2020).

Most goals in a season: 32 – Marie-Antoinette Katoto in 2021–22.

Most expensive arrival: €150k – Jackie Groenen from Manchester United in 2022.

Most expensive departure: €1.15m – Grace Geyoro to London City Lionesses in 2025.

Statistics

Seasons

As of 2025–26 season.

From the 1979–80 season onwards.

Competitive record

As of 11 September 2026.

Supporters

Between 2010 and 2016, unable to support the men's team, the ultras focused on other PSG teams and they began attending their games, especially the women's team, but also the youth and handball teams. Unlike some fans who decided to cheer on other Parisian clubs such as Paris FC or Créteil, the ultras noticed that there was not much enthusiasm surrounding the women and decided to stick with PSG, supporting them in France and abroad, from league clashes against rivals OL Lyonnes to the 2014–15 UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL) semi-finals against Wolfsburg and the 2015 final in Berlin, where they lost to Eintracht Frankfurt.

A marriage of convenience at first, the ultras began to greatly enjoy supporting the women for three main reasons: their proximity compared to the men, allowing them to easily approach the players; their appreciation for the fans, always thanking them after each match; and their solidarity with the ultra movement, publicly supporting the return to the Parc des Princes for the men's team's matches in interviews and on social media, in contrast to the male players, whose communication was more controlled by the club. The ultras have continued to support the women's side since their return to the stadium in May 2016; they were at the Parc for the 2016–17 UEFA Women's Champions League matches against Bayern Munich and Barcelona. 300 ultras travelled to Cardiff to cheer on the team in the 2017 final.

Despite their protests against the management and the attitude of male players in 2022, the CUP were still behind the "exemplary" women's team. They went en masse to the Parc des Princes for the 2021–22 UEFA Women's Champions League quarterfinals against Bayern Munich in March, and then for the semifinals versus OL Lyonnes in April. In the latter match, the ultras were part of the club record 43,254 spectators in attendance. Before kick-off, they unfurled a banner reading: "Proud of our colors and proud of our female players."

Among the women's team's fan favorites are Sabrina Delannoy, Grace Geyoro and Laure Boulleau, all of whom have set appearance records; the club's all-time top scorers, Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Marie-Laure Delie and Kadidiatou Diani; PSG Academy alumna Sandy Baltimore; and Polish goalkeeper Katarzyna Kiedrzynek. The ultras forged a particularly strong relationship with the latter. When Kiedrzynek left PSG in 2020 after seven years, they unfurled two huge banners reading: "Thank you, Kasia. Our home will always be open for you."

Rivalries

Le Classique

Le Classique (women), also referred to as Le Classico, is a French football rivalry contested between PSG and OL Lyonnes (Lyon), the two most successful clubs in French women's football. First played in 1994, the fixture has grown in prominence to become one of the marquee matchups in the Première Ligue, France's top women's league. Over the years, the rivalry has featured closely contested league games, cup finals, and European encounters, drawing increased attention as both clubs have competed for national and continental honours.

By the end of the 2000s, Lyon had established overwhelming dominance in French and European women's football. PSG gradually emerged as a credible challenger in the 2010s following its acquisition by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) in 2012. From the mid-2010s onward, the two sides regularly finished in the top two positions of the Première Ligue and faced each other repeatedly in the Coupe de France Féminine and the UEFA Women's Champions League. Although Lyon largely maintained the upper hand, PSG recorded notable milestones, including their first league victory over Lyon in 2014 and a landmark European success in 2015. Intense competition for elite players in the transfer market has further heightened tensions between two of the best-resourced clubs in women's football.

Public interest in the fixture grew steadily, leading it to be widely known as the women's Le Classique or Le Classico. A key turning point occurred in 2018, when PSG won their first trophy against Lyon by lifting the Coupe de France, symbolizing a narrowing of the competitive gap despite Lyon's continued domestic and European dominance. The rivalry intensified through a series of high-profile encounters in the 2020s, notably PSG ending Lyon's 80-match unbeaten league run and securing their first Première Ligue title in 2021. Lyon, however, retained the upper hand in decisive Champions League knockout ties and domestic finals between 2022 and 2026.

The women's rivalry mirrors the prominence of the men's Le Classique, contested between Paris Saint-Germain FC (PSG) and Olympique de Marseille (OM), which is regarded as the biggest fixture in French men's football. PSG and OM are the two most successful clubs in France and widely supported clubs in France. The rivalry emerged in the 1980s following PSG's first league title and OM's ascent under Bernard Tapie, as sustained competition for titles and a series of off-field controversies intensified tensions. Media involvement and increased financial backing in the 1990s further amplified the antagonism, which has endured despite fluctuating periods of sporting success for both clubs.

Paris derby

The Paris derby (women), also referred to as Le Derby Francilien, is a French football rivalry contested between PSG and Paris FC (women) (PFC), the two largest professional women's clubs based in Paris, France. Both PFC (formerly Juvisy) and PSG were founded in 1971, making them among the oldest clubs in French women's football.

During the 1990s and 2000s, Juvisy established itself as the dominant Parisian side, regularly competing for national championships alongside OL Lyonnes and benefiting from consistent support from the Essonne departmental council. PSG, in contrast, remained a mid-table club for much of this period, undergoing a squad overhaul in 2005 to promote young talent and restructure the team. Juvisy's sustained strength was highlighted by decisive victories over PSG, illustrating the club's superior resources and squad depth.

PSG gradually closed the gap after 2009, strengthened by key signings and the 2012 takeover by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), which bolstered the squad and allowed the club to challenge Lyon and assert dominance in the Paris derby. Juvisy's absorption into Paris FC in 2017 created a new dynamic, with PFC seeking to compete with the top teams despite initial difficulties. Throughout the 2010s, PSG largely dominated the derby, while Paris FC emerged as a third force in French women's football during the 2020s.

The Paris derby also extends to men's football, where Paris Saint-Germain FC and Paris FC compete at the highest level. PSG was founded in 1970 and quickly became the leading professional club in the capital, while Paris FC, which split from PSG in 1972, spent decades outside the top flight. Following Paris FC's promotion to Ligue 1 in 2025, the men's derby returned to the French top division for the first time in decades, further intensifying the historical rivalry between the two clubs.

Honours

As of 2023–24 Coupe de France Féminine.

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.

Other players under contract

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 former players

Most goals

As of 11 April 2025.

Most appearances

As of 16 May 2025.

Awards

The Best FIFA Goalkeeper (1)

Christiane Endler – 2021.

IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper (1)

Christiane Endler – 2021.

Personnel

Managers

As of 5 September 2026.

Managers listed from 1999 onwards.

Presidents

As of 2023–24 Coupe de France Féminine.