Often teased by clubs and opposing supporters for the state of its Pelé Stadium, Paris 13 Atletico is set to step up a level next season. If the Parisian club, currently 13th in the National league, secures its place and joins the future Ligue 3, it will become a permanent resident at Charléty Stadium. An agreement has been reached with the Paris city council to simplify access conditions for P13A to the stadium in the 13th arrondissement. Since the departure of Paris FC’s Ligue 1 team to Stade Jean-Bouin, the stadium has only been used by its women’s team for matches.
This season, Paris 13 Atletico’s players trained one to two times a week on Charléty Stadium’s pitch and used its weight room. “We thank the city of Paris and Pierre Rabadan (deputy in charge of sports) for their support,” said Frédéric Pereira, president of Paris 13 Atletico. “It’s also thanks to the ongoing support from our mayor of the 13th, Jérôme Coumet, who has just been reelected brilliantly. We have often been criticized by our opponents who said that nothing could be seen at our stadium. We are happy to arrive at this beautiful venue. But the goal is to secure our position quickly in order to start thinking about and preparing for next season.”
Context: Paris 13 Atletico is looking to relocate to Charléty Stadium and potentially join the future Ligue 3.
Fact Check: The future Ligue 3 refers to a proposed new league structure in French football.
Note: The president mentions the need to secure their position quickly to plan for the next season, indicating a focus on long-term stability for the club.
A hundred volunteers expected
In this perspective, the 26th matchday this Friday against Rouen (2nd) will take place at Charléty Stadium. Paris 13 Atletico played four games there during their first promotion to the National league in 2022-2023, but had not returned since. This match against Rouen will also serve as a test for the future. “We will play one or two matches at Charléty before the end of the season to see what we need to improve in terms of organization,” said Frédéric Pereira.
In comparison to a match at Pelé Stadium which requires between 15 and 20 people, they will have around a hundred volunteers working against Rouen. “We are fortunate to have many leaders and volunteers who will lend us a hand,” continues the CEO of the Skita equipment company. “Next season, we also plan to collaborate with other Parisian clubs, especially with PUC, the main user of the Charléty complex. We want to work hand in hand with them and benefit from their experience in organizing matches.”
Note: Collaborating with other clubs could enhance the club’s resources and facilities for future matches.
The planned relocation of Paris 13 Atletico to Charléty will solve an initial problem. The future Ligue 3’s specifications include a ban on synthetic pitches starting from the 2027-2028 season (with a one-year derogation for promoted clubs). Therefore, P13A would not have been able to play at Pelé Stadium in two years.
However, despite moving to Charléty, the renovation project of Pelé Stadium (hybrid pitch, 4,000 seats, changing rooms, facilities) remains on the agenda. It has already been voted on and initial studies have been conducted. Like other sports facilities in Paris, the renovation of Pelé Stadium is part of Emmanuel Grégoire’s program, the favorite candidate for the Paris city council.
Context: There are plans to upgrade Pelé Stadium with modern facilities despite Paris 13 Atletico relocating to Charléty Stadium.
Note: The renovation of Pelé Stadium aligns with broader city development plans in Paris.
