Rugby’s Top 14 final staying at Stade de France for 30 years

Article posted by Coliseum, July 17^th, 2026

Image: Coliseum GSVA

The Stade de France in Paris will continue to host the Top 14 final for the next 30 seasons after the National Rugby League (LNR) agreed a partnership deal with the venue.

L’Equipe said the tradition of holding the Top 14 final at the Stade de France is set to continue in the years ahead.

The Stade de France is the national stadium of France located just North of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. Its seating capacity of 80,698 makes it the largest stadium in France.

The LNR said the move was a “long-term commitment to a venue—France’s largest stadium—that befits the Top 14: a grand stage for French rugby, blending passion, spectacle, and emotion… and where the finest memories of our finals will continue to be written!”

However, the LNR has reserved the right to relocate the final up to six times during this period, as was the case, for instance, with the 2024 final in Marseille between Stade Toulousain and UBB.

This provision allows the LNR to address exceptional circumstances (such as construction work, strikes, or venue availability) without undermining the general principle of holding the final in Saint-Denis.

This news comes just days after the 2026 final, which saw Stade Toulousain defeat Montpellier (28–20).

According to details provided by the LNR the new agreement runs until June 2056. It replaces an agreement signed in July 2018—which covered only seven seasons and was set to expire in 2025—effectively more than quadrupling the duration of the previous commitment.

Inaugurated in 1998, the Stade de France has been the historic venue for the French rugby championship final since the professional era began that same year.

The decision to lock in the partnership for 30 years firmly anchors the event in the northern Paris region, following several instances of forced relocation.

The 2016 final was played at Barcelona’s Camp Nou due to the Euro 2016 football tournament, while the 2024 final was moved to the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille because the Stade de France was undergoing renovations for the Olympic Games.

By guaranteeing unprecedented stability, the LNR aims to avoid such constraints and strengthen the event’s identity.

The previous agreement, signed in July 2018 for seven seasons (2018–2025), was considered too short by many observers.

This new 30-year commitment aims to “shield the institution from the forced relocations experienced in the past,” providing long-term visibility for the LNR, the Stade de France, and the clubs.

The first championship final under this new contract is already scheduled: it will take place on June 27, 2027, at the Stade de France.

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