For the first time, the six matches of the 19th day of the Arkema First League, scheduled for Saturday, March 28, will take place in iconic football stadiums in France.
On Saturday, March 28, 2026, the 19th day of the Arkema First League, dubbed “Au Stade pour Elles,” will mark an unprecedented turning point in the history of the championship. For the first time, all six matches will be played in iconic stadiums of French football: the Orange Vélodrome in Marseille, the Beaujoire in Nantes, Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Étienne, Gaston-Gérard in Dijon, Charléty in Paris, and the Meinau in Strasbourg.
“With Au Stade pour Elles, we want to make this day much more than just a sporting event: a moment of pride, visibility, and commitment,” said Jean-Michel Aulas, president of the LFFP. “Seeing our players perform in iconic stadiums across France sends a strong signal to an entire generation. It proves that women’s football has its rightful place at the heart of major stages, and that it can also convey an essential message: that of respect, equality, and the fight against all forms of violence against women.”
Marseille, first
In Marseille, this day will take on a particularly symbolic dimension: the players of Olympique de Marseille will set foot for the first time in the history of the club on the pitch of the Orange Vélodrome. A significant step in the recognition and visibility of women’s football.
By opening the doors of these iconic venues wide, the Professional Women’s Football League (LFFP) celebrates the players – the primary actors of the show – and asserts a clear ambition: to firmly establish women’s football at the heart of major French sporting events.
“What a beautiful showcase for women’s football! These legendary venues will bear witness to the progress of our discipline, which continues to gain popularity. I am convinced that this day will mark a new milestone and that new attendance records will be broken,” said Andreea Koenig, vice president of the LFFP.
Crowds on the rise
Since the creation of the LFFP in July 2024, enthusiasm for the Arkema First League has experienced a spectacular growth. This momentum is concretely reflected in record attendances, with a clear objective: to reach 7 matches with over 10,000 spectators outside of playoffs in the season.
Nearly two-thirds of the attendances currently present in the historical top 20 have been recorded since the creation of the LFFP, illustrating the immediate and structuring impact of this new dynamic on the attractiveness of the championship.
A match for all women
Beyond the field, “Au Stade pour Elles” will convey a strong message of commitment and solidarity. This day is part of a awareness-raising movement against all forms of sexist violence, in collaboration with several engaged associations, including Her Game Too, Graines de Footballeuses, and Little Miss Soccer. Several actions will be deployed on a national scale:
- Presence of stands in the stadiums with Her Game Too to inform and raise public awareness about the fight against sexism, accompanied by the deployment of QR codes to access their reporting platform to declare or alert on acts of sexism;
- Symbolic speeches on the field, with the wearing of an “Au Stade pour Elles” armband by the captains and central referees, complemented by a message broadcast over the stadium’s microphone to raise awareness among the entire public;
- Activation led with Graines de Footballeuses and Paris FC on the forecourt of the Charléty stadium, highlighting sport as a lever for empowerment, self-confidence, and inclusion for young girls;
- Dedicated operation with Little Miss Soccer and Olympique de Marseille around the deconstruction of gender stereotypes, to sensitize the youngest and encourage a more inclusive practice of football.
With this initiative, the Professional Women’s Football League affirms its desire to make women’s football a space of performance but also a vector of societal impact.
All the news of the Arkema First League
