FFF-Stade de France strike operating deal

Article posted by Coliseum, April 21^st, 2026

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The French Football Federation (FFF) has agreed to a 30-year operating deal for the Stade de France in Paris, France thus restoring stability on looser terms than the lease that expired in 2025.

‘onefootball.com’ stated that the agreement covers France home games in Saint-Denis (French commune in Réunion) and the Coupe de France Finals.

The French Football Federation (FFF) is the governing body of football in France. It was formed in 1919 and is based in the capital Paris. The FFF is a Founding Member of FIFA and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the game of football in France, both professional and amateur.

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 Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France, is a knockout Cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation (FFF). The competition began in 1919 and is open to all amateur and professional football clubs in France including clubs based in the overseas departments and territories. The competition culminates in May with the Final, which is held at the Stade de France, the country’s national stadium.

‘onefootball.com’ further stated that the federation had been without a contract since August 2025 which sent the last three home matches to the 47,929-seat Parc des Princes in Paris, France, while it finalized terms with GL Events, the stadium’s new operator. The framework was outlined last autumn and completed early this year.

The €120 million renovations run until December 31^st, 2030. The ‘Les Bleus’ (France national football team) have no obligation to play there before then and the fixtures will be scheduled as the opportunities arise. The first penciled in are the Coupe de France Final on May 22^nd and France vs. Italy in the Nations League on October 2^nd.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Nations League is an international European football competition played by the senior Men’s national teams of the member associations of UEFA, the sport’s European governing body. The competition was devised to minimize friendlies and give the nations competitive encounters with the equally ranked teams. The teams from all the European associations compete in a league structure featuring promotion and relegation.

Nyon (Switzerland)-based the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is the governing body of football in Europe uniting 55 national associations and overseeing the promotion, regulation and development of the sport across the continent.

Once the definitive phase begins the visit frequency stays broadly unchanged at a minimum average of four a year, the Cup Final plus three France matches. Appearances will be smoothed to six over two-year cycles to secure marquee fixtures likely to fill the 80,000 seats while allowing less bankable games to go around France.

The financial terms have been reworked in the FFF’s favor. Under Vinci-Bouygues it paid a fixed rent of eight million euros a year for four matches, reduced if six were staged. Now the rent is per match as with the French Rugby Federation (the governing body for the rugby union in France) indexed to the gate receipts with a floor and the FFF hopes to earn between five and 10 million euros annually with hospitality revenues shared.

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