"We have two major projects underway: Orly (training centre, education centre & headquarters) and the Stade Jean-Bouin" (P. Ferracci, Paris FC)

Paris FC are 8^th in the table after seven games, which is pretty good. We know there's a long way to go, but the goal for 2025-26 is to stay up. We know that some people see the club rising to the top very quickly, but I'm like Antoine Arnault, who said he was going to take a long-term approach and didn't want to rush things, because that often leads to disaster.

So there you are, we're settling in, we don't want any scares at the end of the season. I think we've recruited players who fit in with that ambition. After that, it's clear that ambitions will come, and those ambitions will be to play in Europe. But Europe doesn't necessarily mean the Champions League, there are other European competitions...

In the meantime, we have two major projects underway, with the third being to join Ligue 1. We are therefore developing the training centre, the training academy and the headquarters in Orly (Val-de-Marne). We are expanding from 8 hectares to 18. We will go from 4 pitches to 9.

In Orly, we have the two first teams, men's and women's, the two training centres and the headquarters. So it's starting to come together.

Charléty wasn't ideal for top-level sport »

And then there was the move to Stade Jean-Bouin (Paris 16^th arrondissement), which was a necessity. We were very attached to Stade Charléty, but it wasn't ideal for top-level sport: we were very far from the pitch and hospitality facilities were very limited. We weren't even on a par with most Ligue 2 French second division, 20 clubs clubs.

At the Stade Jean-Bouin, we are delighted: we have excellent hospitality facilities, a lively atmosphere and we have already played three sold-out matches. But we knew that in Ligue 1, there would be no problem filling the stadium. Especially with the project we are working on, which is a project that should normally put the club in the top half of the table.

I have always said that Germany is the economic model to emulate. England is too high. It is heading towards £5bn in TV rights. What about Germany? It's the big families and, above all, the big industrial and financial groups that are involved in football, as sponsors and as shareholders. Often both. Like adidas Sector: sports equipment manufacturer Brands: adidas, Reebok (fitness) Founded: 1924 (on 18/08/1949 under the name adidas) CEO: Bjørn Gulden since 01/01/2023 Workforce (2023): 59,030… with Bayern Munich Activity: German professional football club Major partners and/or shareholders: • Deutsche Telekom (telecommunications): main shirt sponsor 2002-2032, for €50m per season over 2022-2027 … (Bundesliga German professional football first division. 18 clubs. ). I've always found it a bit strange that we can't manage to do that in France.

There are quite a few things that appealed to the Arnault family »

There are quite a few things that appealed to the Arnault family. I would remind you that they have invested in sailing and that they invested tens of millions of euros in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee. . I had always said that, if possible, I would transfer the majority to French or at least European capital. So attracting a family like the Arnault family, which controls LVMH and other assets, well, that takes work. And I hope they will inspire others to follow suit.

In this environment, you have to be an investor and be savvy. You also have to be passionate. There's a bit of a 'cocorico' (French patriotic pride, also known as the Gallic rooster) aspect to saying that French football also deserves national investment, but I think it's rather beneficial.

I will try to protect my shareholders from the environment that pushes us to move quickly. But Ligue 1 is something you have to work at, it can't be planned. I'll say the same thing about the club's European ambitions. They did something very smart by teaming up with Red Bull Sector: energy drinks Main brand: Red Bull Energy Drink• Investment arm: Red Bull Ventures (founded in 2025)Established: 1984 Workforce 2024: 19,973 employees in 177 countries Turnover 2024… . With their expertise in sports in general, extreme sports, Formula 1 and football in particular, since they control five clubs worldwide, including two in Europe, RB Leipzig Activity: German professional football club Exclusive partners: • Red Bull (energy drinks): club owner, stadium namer• Puma (equipment supplier) since 2024-25• Kraken (crypto trading): sleeve… and Red Bull Salzburg Activity: Austrian professional football club Premium partners: • Red Bull (energy drinks, club owner): shirt sponsor and stadium naming rights • Rauch (fruit juice): sleeve… (Bundesliga).

Red Bull is also involved in managing sporting and football events. And that's something that interests the Arnault family too, even though they themselves have some expertise in this area. So, will this enable us to move faster? Yes. At what pace? We don't know.

I took big risks with my assets during those 14 years of managing a single shareholding, first as a minority shareholder and then as a majority shareholder. The bottom teams in Ligue 1 play to avoid relegation, but to compete at the top of the table, you need sums of money that are a little beyond my means, and those of quite a few investors.

I've always dreamt of Barça with its backbone made up of young players trained at the club »

Football is in a bad way today, as we all know. Some clubs are struggling. We can see that in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. Two Ligue 2 clubs have filed for bankruptcy: AC Ajaccio and FC Martigues, which is quite serious. So we mustn't rush things. Let's first consider the foundations of the club, and here Antoine Arnault has been clear: it's the training centre. Or rather, the training centres, because we have overinvested in women's football at Paris FC. I am delighted and very proud of this. Tomorrow, the two training centres will be the economic and sporting driving force behind the club.

I have always dreamt of FC Barcelona Activity: Spanish professional football club Main partners: • Nike (kit supplier since 1998; €105m in 2016-17 and 2017-18, then €100m per year +€50m in bonuses from 2018-19 until 2027-28, then… (LALIGA EA Sports Spanish 1^st Division (20 clubs); EA Sports (video game publisher) title sponsor for the 2023-2028 cycle ) with its backbone made up of young players trained at the club. We have chosen to go down that route. It sometimes takes a little longer, but we will get there slowly but surely with the resources we have at our disposal.

But are we building the opposite model to Paris Saint-Germain? I don't think so. Three countries have invested in clubs: Qatar in Paris SG, the United Arab Emirates in Manchester City FC Activity: English professional football club Global Partners: • Etihad Airways (airline): shirt sponsor, since 2009-10 (£20m per season) and stadium naming rights (since 2011, £10m per… (Premier League Top English professional football division. 20 clubs. ) and now Saudi Arabia in Newcastle United FC Sector: English professional football club Primary partners:• Sela (events & experiences): main shirt sponsor since 2023-24• adidas (equipment manufacturer)• noon.com (e-commerce): sleeve… (Premier League). Well, these are huge sums of money that exceed even what industrial groups and very wealthy families can afford. Paris Saint-Germain Activity: French professional football club Top sponsors: • Nike (equipment supplier): €20m per year from 2014-15 to 2021-22, between €70-90m for the 2019-2032 cycle• Qatar Airways (airline)… 's budget is three times that of the second-ranked club, Olympique de Marseille Activity: French professional football club Primary partners: • Puma (kit supplier): since 2018-19 until 2028 • CMA CGM (container ship owner): main shirt sponsor since 2023-24 Premium… . The ratio is already 1 to 3, or even 1 to 4.

This is one of the problems with our championship, which is unbalanced. I am delighted that Paris SG won the Champions League in 2025. They might have won it sooner if the league had been a little tougher... The Arnault family will not have the resources to invest in Qatari football. And that is not necessarily a good thing. But we can achieve great things with the significant resources they are going to invest.

Women's football inherits the economic situation of men's football »

When it comes to women's football, I never thought we could take the lead. Copying the United States is something England can do. No European country today is capable of developing the American economic model. On the other hand, we could have moved faster. But women's football today inherits the economic situation of men's football, or rather professional football, because until now, women's sections have been integrated into traditional clubs.

We are not like the United States, where share ownership is almost always different. I hope I am wrong, but I do not think there is an autonomous space for women's football in France today. I'm talking about France today. It may take time. It's important to note that in England, women's football is aiming for £1.5bn in TV and commercial rights within three or four years. At the moment, we're aiming to catch up with the men's Top 14 French rugby first division - 14 clubs .

I prefer diversity within the same entity »

What is good, in any case, is that clubs such as Olympique de Marseille and RC Lens Activity: French professional football club Main partners: • Puma (equipment supplier): since 2021-22 • Auchan (supermarket): main shirt sponsor, 2016-2027• Winamax (sports betting): back shirt… are entering the women's first division. These are cities where there is also an audience for the women's team. But we understood that I preferred that, like Paris SG, Paris FC and Lens, we develop gender diversity within the same entity, with the same shareholders.

But let's be clear, if a historic club cannot support the women's department, or decides to abandon it, I would prefer to see investors come in, even if they have separate shareholdings from the men's side. I am simply saying that my strategy has always been to develop gender diversity within the same club.

The fact that we overinvested in the women's section has been beneficial »

I think that in today's societal debates, the fact that we overinvested a little in the women's section has been beneficial. I always point out that for the past four or five years, Paris FC's women's section has had the third largest budget in absolute terms, after OL and Paris SG. And in relative terms, we had the largest share devoted to a women's section. This has clearly contributed to the club's reputation. And since we're in an economic and sporting debate, it has also attracted sponsors specifically for women's football. Others, such as Vinci, have continued to invest because we were also developing the women's team.

In terms of CSR Corporate social responsibility , our new resources are gradually enabling us to do what we do well, particularly in social terms. We have a team of amputee players and I am amazed, for example, by the commitment of these players and those who play blind football. So we are going to take all these CSR issues to the next level. With priorities.

When it comes to corporate responsibility, I always say that sport, and especially football, the most popular sport, is a bit like society, with all its negative aspects (violence, racism, homophobia, poorly distributed money, etc.) and all its positive aspects (children's eyes shining when they see Mbappé, emulation, competition in the positive sense of the word, etc.). It is therefore a question of eliminating the negative, and companies must understand that when football moves in the wrong direction, society does too.

Companies therefore have a role to play. And if they play it, there will be a positive return. There will be a positive return for the Arnault family if the press continues to talk about Paris FC as a popular, family-friendly club with a festive atmosphere. But it has to last.

Companies can also bring rationality to football »

Companies can also bring rationality to football. I'm tired of people saying that successful business leaders do whatever they want in football. First of all, that's not true! There are business leaders who do whatever they want in their companies as well as in football! And there are those who work well in their companies and in football. We need to be rational and take into account the passion that surrounds football.

Initially, what appealed to me was the idea of a second Parisian club. At a time when Paris Saint-Germain did not yet have the power it has today. Paris Saint-Germain, a club for which I have a lot of respect, has dominated Parisian football for 40 years. A second club needed to emerge. In neighbouring countries, it's not just the capital cities that have two or more clubs: Manchester, Liverpool, Milan, Turin, Seville, Valencia, Porto... The economic power of a sport depends on its presence in major cities.

At Paris FC, the evolution of governance is natural »

At Paris FC, the evolution of governance is natural. I am delighted to welcome Jean-Marc Gallot, who worked for many years at LVMH, as our new managing director Published on 18/09/25 at 08:40
Jean-Marc Gallot, CEO of Veuve Clicquot, a champagne house owned by the LVMH group since September 2014, has been appointed managing director of Paris FC (promoted to Ligue 1 McDonald's in 2025-26)… . He is moving from champagne to football. We need a financial director, we need a human resources director, we need additional resources. Logically, the Arnault family is placing executives in place and integrating them with the existing team.

Regarding multi-ownership, I am delighted that Red Bull has joined the Arnault family: in terms of expertise, everyone knows that this group has something to offer. We can see this on the pitch, in the development of the project and in training. We communicate a lot. Red Bull is a minority shareholder in Paris FC and does not control the club. And there will be no problems between shareholders.

More generally, the system needs to be regulated. There are economic powers that like multiple ownership, and we have to deal with that. Regulating it means avoiding conflicts of interest in sport. That's a matter for FIFA Fédération Internationale de Football Association and UEFA Union of European Football Associations . If they don't do it, governments can get involved. But Red Bull is very attentive to this issue.

Governance: "I want a strong league within a strong Federation"

I have recently been credited with ambitions, with claims that I am aiming for the presidency of the FFF Fédération Française de Football (French Football Federation) or the position of president of the board of directors of the future league resulting from the merger of the LFP and LFP Media The Ligue de Football Professionnel's commercial company subsidiary created in July 2022 "as part of a strategic partnership with the investment company CVC." . However, there is someone already in place, Nicolas de Tavernost Directeur général @ LFP MEDIA • Vice-président du conseil d'administration @ GL events
(CEO of LFP Media), who would make an excellent president of the board. I support him. If LFP and LFP Media merge, it seems obvious to me that he is the right man for the job.

I want to see some movement. One of the priorities is for the bill, which was passed unanimously by the senators, to be taken up by the National Assembly. Personally, I want a strong league within a strong federation. After that, the division of powers (management of competitions, schedules, number of clubs, etc.) between the two can be discussed. I think it's part of the product and that the powers and the economics are intertwined. Let's make sure that Parliament takes an interest in this, even if it has other priorities.

As far as TV rights are concerned, I have always defended our relationship with Canal+, but it is somewhat damaged today. So we have no choice, and Nicolas de Tavernost is doing a remarkable job and the product (Ligue 1+) is good. After a period of growth, we will see what negotiations to pursue.

The Covid-19 pandemic affected us, but it was Mediapro that killed us »

A colleague said that England had so much money that clubs could distribute it more effectively. But I told him that perhaps it was because they distributed it more effectively that they had a more successful model than ours. Yet England is one of the most liberal countries. Keener competition drives the economic model.

We are debating this in France to get football out of the mess it finds itself in. We are at the Top 14 level. With all due respect to rugby, I am trying to understand how we got here. The Covid-19 pandemic affected us, but it was Mediapro that killed us. Then there was this desire to oust Canal+.

TV rights will rise again, but very slowly »

TV rights will rise again, but very slowly. So we need to find other sources of revenue: sponsorship, ticket sales, partnerships of all kinds, merchandising... But it will take time for the model to become healthy again. I would like to see football in a more attractive position than it is today in order to attract powerful shareholders.

Today, we have a French championship that is unrivalled in sporting terms, but its economic value is not reflected in this. It is worth more than that! However, if we do not resolve the economic issue quickly, the sporting side will suffer: the best players will leave and we will find it more difficult to attract new ones. We therefore need to quickly fix the economic model: this is a matter for the Federation, the League and the clubs themselves. In the meantime, it is the shareholders who hold the fate of football in their hands.

Pierre Ferracci, president of Paris FC (Ligue 1 McDonald's) at Think Sport CIC in Paris (FRA), 14/10/2025