PSG v Rennes, why the Parc des Princes pitch became unplayable

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·21 August 2026

PSG v Rennes, why the Parc des Princes pitch became unplayable

Paris Saint-Germain will not be able to host Rennes at the Parc des Princes on Sunday. The PSG/Rennes match, the opening day of the Ligue 1 season, will ultimately be played at Roazhon Park due to the condition of the Paris pitch. According to Onze Mondial, the heatwave and the stadium’s layout created extreme conditions for the grass.

A pitch put under severe strain by the heat

“At Paris Saint-Germain, they notably explain to us that the concrete structure heated up the pitch. Temperatures of up to 51 degrees were recorded inside the stadium.”

The heatwave therefore had a particularly significant impact at the Parc des Princes. The stadium’s concrete structure is said to have worsened the buildup of heat at pitch level, making conditions extremely difficult for the grass. The new rise in temperatures recorded last week ultimately accelerated its deterioration, to the point of making it impossible to stage the match against Rennes.

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PSG is banking on a long-term solution

“Paris Saint-Germain is favoring natural regrowth of the pitch rather than laying down new patches. The goal is to make this same pitch last longer over the course of the season.”

Paris therefore does not simply want to replace the damaged areas as an emergency measure. The club prefers to let the pitch regenerate in order to have a more durable playing surface over time. However, the schedule leaves no time to spare: the next match scheduled at the Parc des Princes is set to take place on September 4 against AS Monaco.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.