Paris could soon host a second major football club that could compete with Paris Saint-Germain, as the takeover of Paris FC by the nation’s wealthiest family, alongside energy drinks giant Red Bull, is expected to be confirmed in the coming days.Reports surfaced last week about ongoing discussions between the club’s current majority owner, businessman Pierre Ferracci, and the Arnault family, who own the LVMH luxury conglomerate. Red Bull is anticipated to acquire a minority share in the club.This development could significantly alter the dynamics of French football, where Paris Saint-Germain has dominated the domestic scene since Qatar Sports Investments took control in 2011. It may also pave the way for Paris to host two teams in the top division for the first time in over thirty years, since Racing Paris was relegated in 1990.This situation has highlighted the stark contrast between Paris and other European capitals like London, which boasts seven teams in the current Premier League season.##NAJAVA_MECA_8419230##Neither Paris FC nor the Arnault family provided comments when approached by AFP last week, but a source close to the negotiations suggested an official statement would be made soon.The same insider indicated that the Arnault family — France’s richest, led by LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault and his five children — would take a controlling 55% stake, while Red Bull would secure 15% of the club. The remaining 30% would stay with Ferracci before being transferred to the Arnault family by 2027.Despite the potential competition, PSG’s leadership welcomed the emergence of a new local rival.“This is excellent news for Paris and for French football,” PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi reportedly said through his entourage last week.The ambitions for Paris FC could be sky-high, with the club already well-positioned for promotion to Ligue 1 this season.Red Bull’s involvement could play a crucial role, given its track record with other clubs, particularly the Champions League regulars RB Leipzig.With Red Bull having recently appointed Jurgen Klopp as head of football operations, the former Liverpool manager might influence the direction of Paris FC.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Paris FC has historical ties to Paris Saint-Germain. The club was founded in 1969 and soon merged with a team from the suburb of Saint-Germain, forming PSG. The partnership dissolved in 1972, and Paris FC was relegated from the top tier in 1974, only returning for one season in 1978/79.It’s only in the last decade that Paris FC has established itself as a regular contender in Ligue 2, currently topping the table. While PSG has backing from Qatar, Paris FC has a sponsorship agreement with Bahrain.The scale of investment at Paris FC is far smaller than that at PSG, but the club still spent over one million euros ($1.087 million) this season to acquire striker Jean-Philippe Krasso from Red Star Belgrade.They also brought in Maxime Lopez, a former Marseille midfielder who played in Serie A for Fiorentina last season, but substantial spending in the transfer market appears unlikely in the near term.“Contrary to some of the speculation, we have no plans to make big purchases in the January window,” sporting director François Ferracci told Le Parisien.PSG getting a local rival: Paris FC to fall into the hands of the world’s richest man!?While PSG draws crowds of over 45,000 to the Parc des Princes and is exploring building a larger stadium, Paris FC’s home games at the Stade Charléty have recently attracted fewer than 6,000 spectators on average.This is despite offering free entry to matches at the 20,000-capacity stadium in southern Paris.“If we could reach 10-15,000 fans at each home game, that would be a huge step forward,” coach Stéphane Gilli shared in a recent club interview.In the long run, Paris FC aims for more, with notable support from former PSG and Brazil star Rai, who serves as an ambassador.“I want Parisians to believe that Paris deserves at least two strong top-flight clubs,” Rai, a minority stakeholder in Paris FC, said earlier this year on France Info radio.
