Paris FC

clubname	Paris FC
fullname	Paris Football Club
nickname	Les Parisiens (The Parisians) Les Bleus (The Blues)
short name	Paris FC PFC
founded	August 1, 1969
ground	Stade Jean-Bouin
capacity	20,000
coordinates	48.84306°N, 2.25278°W
owner	* Agache Sport (52.4%) * Alter Paris (29.8%) * Red Bull GmbH (10.6%) * BRI Sports Holdings (7.2%)
chairman	Pierre Ferracci
chrtitle	President
mgrtitle	Head coach
manager	Antoine Kombouaré
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current	2025–26 Paris FC season

Paris Football Club (French pronunciation: [paʁi futbol klœb]), commonly referred to as Paris FC or simply PFC, is a French professional association football club based in Paris, France, which competes in Ligue 1, the top division of French football.

Founded in 1969, the club merged with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain in 1970, but it eventually spun off in 1972. They are nicknamed Les Bleus (The Blues) for their shirt colour, and their crest features the Eiffel Tower. Since 2025, Paris FC has been playing at the Stade Jean-Bouin, located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris across the street from Paris Saint-Germain's Parc des Princes. Unlike their counterpart, they struggled to establish themselves in the ranks of French football, returning to Ligue 1 in 2025.

Since 2024, Paris FC have been majority-owned by the Arnault family's Agache Sport, which currently holds 52.4% of the shares. Austrian conglomerate Red Bull GmbH owns 10.6%, Alter Paris led by Pierre Ferracci owns 29.8%, and BRI Sports Holdings owns 7.2% of the club's shares.

History

Foundation and split (1969–1972)

Struggles and rebrandings (1972–2007)

At the start of the 1972–73 season, Paris FC were in the top flight, playing at the Parc des Princes.[14] Bound by professional contracts, most players, including captain Jean Djorkaeff and Bernard Guignedoux, stayed with the club.[9] Two seasons later, PFC were relegated to Division 2 as PSG rose to the top flight and claimed the Parc.[15] Exiled to the rundown Stade de la Porte de Montreuil and stripped of professional status, PFC fielded a squad of local and reserve players under Antoine Dalla Cieca. After a stadium fire and years of instability, they returned to professionalism in 1976 and earned promotion back to Division 1 for 1978–79.[16] But lacking depth and direction, they finished bottom. Europe 1 briefly funded the club, renaming it "Paris 1",[17] but a 7–1 loss to Monaco[16] and defeat in the play-offs to Lens sent them back down. That season saw a record 41,025 spectators attend a match against Saint-Étienne.[16]

Over the next seasons, the club narrowly avoided further relegation but amassed heavy debts, prompting FFF intervention.[18] Industrialist Jean-Luc Lagardère sought to build a major Parisian club[19] and, after Racing Club de France declined a merger, he bought PFC. Renamed "Racing Paris 1", the club stayed up, and in 1983 its first team merged with Racing’s. The remaining club, "Paris FC 83", was relegated to the fourth division.[20][18] With few resources, they dropped to the fifth tier but climbed back to Division 3 in 1988.[20][18] Businessman Bernard Caïazzo aimed for promotion in 1990, but the club only finished 12th.[21] Renamed "Paris FC 98" in support of France’s

In 1996, the club became "Paris FC 2000",[17] remained in Division 3, and became a founding member of the Championnat National. Relegated in 2000 to the Championnat de France amateur, the club reverted to "Paris Football Club" in 2005. Under Jean-Marc Pilorget, they won CFA Group D in 2006 and returned to the Championnat National. In 2007, they moved into the Stade Sébastien Charléty.[23]

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.[9][37]

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.[38] 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.[39] 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,[40] and in 1996, it was renamed "Paris FC 2000",[38] 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.[41] 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.[42] 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.[43]

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.[44][45][46]

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.[47][48][49]

Paris FC

History

Foundation and split (1969–1972)

Struggles and rebrandings (1972–2007)

Stabilization and investment by Bahrain (2007–2024)

Arnault ownership and Ligue 1 return (2024–present)

Identity

Denomination

Colours

Crest evolution

Grounds

Stadiums

Supporters

Rivalries

Current squad

Out on loan

Notable players

Ownership

Club Hierarchy

Managerial history

Honours

League

External links

References