Long-term agreement reached between FFF and GL Events for Stade de France

The French Football Federation (FFF) officially announced on Friday the signing of a contract with GL Events, the concessionaire of the Stade de France since last summer, allowing the national team to play at the Saint-Denis stadium for the next thirty years. The agreement, whose principles were announced last November by FFF President Philippe Diallo, will be implemented in two phases, as outlined in an official statement.

In the first phase, until 2030, renovation work is planned at the Stade de France. The “3F” can organize matches “according to opportunities, stadium availability, and depending on the progress of renovation works led by GL Events.” From 2030 until the end of the concession in 2055, “the Federation commits to organizing the six best matches of the French national team A over a period of two sports seasons, as well as the French Cup final every year,” according to the FFF.

2026 French Cup final to be held on a Friday night

The 2026 French Cup final, originally scheduled for Saturday, May 23 but thrown into uncertainty due to major construction works on the B and D RER lines serving the stadium as part of the Grand Paris project, will indeed take place at the Stade de France on Friday, May 22 (9:00 pm).

The national team will return to the Stade de France on October 2 for their UEFA Nations League match against Italy. In recent months, they had played their final World Cup 2026 qualifying matches at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

Since its opening in January 1998, the stadium has hosted 116 matches of the French national team, according to the FFF. GL Events had also reached an agreement with the French Rugby Federation (FFR) several months ago for the organization of five matches per year at the Stade de France.