Paris Saint-Germain FC facts for kids
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| Full name | Paris Saint-Germain Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Les Parisiens (The Parisians) Les Rouge-et-Bleu (The Red-and-Blues) |
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| Short name | Paris SG Paris PSG |
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| Founded | 12 August 1970 | |||
| Ground | Parc des Princes | |||
| Capacity | 48,229 | |||
| Coordinates | 48°50′29″N 2°15′11″E / 48.84139°N 2.25306°E | |||
| Owner | Qatar Sports Investments (87.5%) Arctos Partners (12.5%) |
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| President | Nasser Al-Khelaifi | |||
| Head coach | Luis Enrique | |||
| League | Ligue 1 | |||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1, 1st of 20 (champions) | |||
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Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, often called Paris Saint-Germain or just PSG, is a professional football club from Paris, France. They play in Ligue 1, which is the top football league in France.
PSG is the most successful club in France, having won 52 major trophies. They are also considered the biggest club in the country.
The club was started in 1970 when two teams, Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain, joined together. PSG has played in France's top league for more seasons in a row than any other club. They are the most popular football club in France and one of the most supported teams around the world.
Their nicknames are Les Rouge-et-Bleu (The Red-and-Blues) because of their shirt colors, which also include white. The club's badge features the famous Eiffel Tower and a fleur-de-lis, a traditional French symbol. PSG has a big rivalry with Marseille, and their matches are called Le Classique.
Since 1973, PSG has played its home games at the Parc des Princes in Paris, which can hold 48,229 fans.
PSG won their first major trophy, the French Cup, in 1982, and their first top-league title in 1986. The 1990s were a very successful time for the club. After a quieter period in the 2000s, PSG became very strong again in 2011 when Qatar Sports Investments took over. With a lot of money invested, the club bought superstar players like Zlatan Ibrahimović, Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, and Lionel Messi. This led to them winning many league titles and national cups, but they struggled to win the UEFA Champions League.
Recently, the club changed its focus from having many superstar players to building a strong team. This new approach helped them win their first UEFA Champions League in 2025, as part of a continental treble (winning the league, a national cup, and the Champions League in the same season).
PSG has won 49 domestic trophies: a record 13 Ligue 1 titles, a record 16 French Cups, a record 9 French League Cups, and a record 13 French Super Cups. Internationally, they won the UEFA Champions League in 2025, becoming the second French club to do so. They were also runners-up in 2020. Other international trophies include the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1996 and the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2001. PSG is one of only two French clubs to have won a major European trophy.
Since 2011, PSG has been mostly owned by Qatar Sports Investments, an investment fund backed by the Qatari government. This has made PSG the richest club in France and one of the wealthiest in the world. In January 2025, PSG had the third-highest revenue in football, earning €806 million, and was the world's seventh-most valuable football club, worth $4.4 billion, according to Forbes.
Contents
- Club History: How PSG Was Born and Grew
- Starting the Club and a Big Change (1970–1973)
- Back to the Top and a New Home (1973–1978)
- First Trophies and a Dip (1978–1991)
- Canal+ Takes Over and a Golden Era (1991–1998)
- Tough Times and Relegation Fights (1998–2011)
- QSI Takes Over: Huge Spending and French Dominance (2011–2024)
- Mbappé Leaves and Champions League Glory (2024–Present)
- Club Identity: Colors, Mascot, and Songs
- Home Grounds and Training Facilities
- Club Achievements and Records
- PSG Supporters and Rivalries
- Club Ownership and Money Matters
- Trophies and Honours Won by PSG
- Current Players and Staff
- See also
Club History: How PSG Was Born and Grew
Starting the Club and a Big Change (1970–1973)
In the summer of 1970, a group of business people wanted to create a major football team in Paris. Guy Crescent and Pierre-Étienne Guyot decided to combine their new team, Paris FC, with Stade Saint-Germain, a team from Saint-Germain-en-Laye led by Henri Patrelle. Stade Saint-Germain had just been promoted to Division 2.
To get the money needed, they met Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabéu, who suggested a crowdfunding campaign. About 20,000 people supported the idea, and Paris Saint-Germain was officially formed on June 17, 1970. This was the first time in French football that fans helped fund a club. The club officially started on August 12, 1970.
Paris FC brought the money, while Stade Saint-Germain provided the players, coach, and training facilities. PSG also signed Jean Djorkaeff, who was the captain of the French national team. PSG's first game was a 1–1 draw against Poitiers on August 23, 1970, with Bernard Guignedoux scoring the club's first goal. In their first season, PSG won the Division 2 title and were promoted to Division 1.
However, after their first season in the top league, the club faced financial problems. The Paris City Council offered money to help, but only if the club changed its name to "Paris Football Club." This caused a disagreement, and the club split on June 1, 1972. Paris FC stayed in Division 1, while PSG was moved down to Division 3 and lost its professional status.
Back to the Top and a New Home (1973–1978)
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Paris Saint-Germain really started to shine when fashion designer Daniel Hechter joined as chairman in June 1973. He helped financially and also designed the team's famous home kit. Hechter then surprised everyone by bringing in French football legend Just Fontaine as sporting director.
The team finished second in their league group, qualifying for promotion play-offs. They lost the first game but made an amazing comeback in the second, winning 4–2 at the Parc des Princes. This win meant PSG was promoted back to Division 1 and regained its professional status. Since then, PSG has always played in the top tier of French football.
PSG played their first game at the Parc des Princes on November 10, 1973, winning 3–1 against Red Star. Othniel Dossevi scored PSG's first goal at the stadium.
In 1974, Paris FC was relegated to Division 2 just as PSG moved up to the top league. This meant PSG took over the Parc des Princes as their home stadium, and it has been their home ever since. Daniel Hechter became club president in June 1974.
During Hechter's time, PSG didn't win any trophies in the 1970s, but they became a strong team in Division 1 and attracted famous players like Mustapha Dahleb and Carlos Bianchi. Hechter left the club in 1978, and Francis Borelli became the new president.
First Trophies and a Dip (1978–1991)
With coach Georges Peyroche joining in 1979, PSG became a top team. They reached their first French Cup final in 1982 against Saint-Étienne, led by Michel Platini. The game was tied, and in extra time, Saint-Étienne took the lead. But in the last seconds, Dominique Rocheteau scored an equalizer, making the fans invade the field in excitement. PSG then won the game in a penalty shootout, with Dominique Baratelli saving a key shot and Jean-Marc Pilorget scoring the winning penalty. This win allowed PSG to play in Europe, where they reached the quarterfinals of the 1982–83 European Cup Winners' Cup.
PSG also finished third in the league and won the 1983 Coupe de France Final against Nantes.
Three years later, under coach Gérard Houllier, PSG won their first league title in 1985–86. They led the league from start to finish, going 26 matches without a loss. Key players included Joël Bats, Luis Fernandez, and Dominique Rocheteau.
However, after this success, the club's performance dropped. They finished seventh the next season and had a disappointing European debut. In 1987–88, PSG barely avoided relegation on the last day. The club faced financial difficulties and, after a brief fight for the 1988–89 league title, went into decline.
Canal+ Takes Over and a Golden Era (1991–1998)
In 1991, television company Canal+ bought Paris Saint-Germain, making them one of the richest clubs in France. Canal+ paid off PSG's debts and aimed for the club to qualify for European competitions quickly and win the French league within three years. They increased the club's budget and brought in famous coach Artur Jorge. PSG then signed Brazilian stars Ricardo Gomes and Valdo Filho, as well as French players like Paul Le Guen and the talented Liberian striker George Weah.
The 1992–93 season saw the start of Le Classique, the rivalry between PSG and Marseille, as both teams fought for the league title. PSG finished second. After Marseille won the league, they were found guilty of match-fixing. The French Football Federation took away Marseille's title and offered it to PSG, but PSG refused it. As a result, the 1992–93 title was not awarded to any team.
The 1990s are seen as PSG's golden era. The club won nine trophies and reached five European semi-finals in a row, including their first UEFA Champions League semi-final. PSG's biggest achievement came in the 1996 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final with Luis Fernandez as coach. Bruno Ngotty scored the only goal to beat Rapid Wien, making Paris the second French club to win a major European trophy and the youngest club to win a European title at 26 years old. The next season, PSG was runner-up in the 1996 UEFA Super Cup and 1997 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final. In France, they won a second league title, three French Cups, two French League Cups, and two French Super Cups.
Tough Times and Relegation Fights (1998–2011)
After years of poor management, PSG went into decline. In 2000, they spent a lot of money on new players like Nicolas Anelka, hoping to win the league and do well in the Champions League, but it didn't work out. By 2003, the club had a huge financial loss, which led to changes in management.
In the early 2000s, PSG struggled despite having talented players like Ronaldinho and Pauleta. They won five more trophies: three French Cups (including one against rivals Marseille in 2006), one French League Cup, and one UEFA Intertoto Cup. However, the club was often in crisis.
Canal+ sold the club to Colony Capital in 2006. The situation got worse, and PSG spent the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons trying to avoid being relegated. The 2007–08 season was especially dramatic, as Paris avoided relegation on the very last day with a 2–1 win against Sochaux, thanks to two goals from Amara Diané. Diané is still considered a legend by many PSG fans for this.
QSI Takes Over: Huge Spending and French Dominance (2011–2024)
After a couple of stable years, Paris Saint-Germain's future changed completely when Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) bought the club in 2011. This made PSG not only the richest club in France but one of the wealthiest in the world. Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi promised to build a team that could win the UEFA Champions League.
Club legend Leonardo returned as sporting director and oversaw huge spending on new players, which was unheard of in French football. Players like Blaise Matuidi, Javier Pastore, and Kevin Gameiro joined. As a result, PSG started to dominate French football. Even though they finished second in 2011–12, they won the league title in 2012–13, led by star player Zlatan Ibrahimović, captain Thiago Silva, and coach Carlo Ancelotti. During that season, David Beckham also signed a short-term deal with the club. Ibrahimović's 30 goals helped PSG win their first Ligue 1 title in 19 years. They also regularly reached the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Big signings continued with Edinson Cavani joining in 2013 for a record €64 million, and David Luiz in 2014 for a world-record fee for a defender. Even after Ancelotti left, PSG kept winning under Laurent Blanc. The club won their first domestic treble (Ligue 1, Coupe de la Ligue, and Trophée des Champions) in the 2013–14 season. They then won an amazing national quadruple (Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue, and Trophée des Champions) two seasons in a row (2014–15 and 2015–16), winning the latter with a record 96 points.
Unai Emery was hired as coach in 2016, known for winning the UEFA Europa League with Sevilla. But with star player Ibrahimović gone, the 2016–17 season was disappointing. PSG lost the Ligue 1 title to Monaco and suffered a shocking 6–1 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League, after winning the first game 4–0. This loss is known as "La Remontada" ("The Comeback").
In response, PSG signed Neymar for a world-record fee of €222 million and young French talent Kylian Mbappé on loan, who later joined permanently for €180 million. Mbappé became the second-most expensive player and most expensive teenager. The club won the Ligue 1 title again and also clinched the Trophée des Champions, Coupe de la Ligue, and Coupe de France, completing their third domestic quadruple in four seasons. Despite the huge spending, PSG lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16, leading Unai Emery to leave.
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In May 2018, Thomas Tuchel became coach. In the 2019–20 season, PSG won Ligue 1 for the 9th time, even though the season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also won the Coupe de France and the last-ever Coupe de la Ligue. In the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League, PSG reached the semi-finals for the second time since 1995, but lost 1–0 to Bayern Munich in the final.
In summer 2021, PSG signed Achraf Hakimi and free agents Georginio Wijnaldum, Sergio Ramos, and Gianluigi Donnarumma. They also signed one of the greatest players ever, Lionel Messi, who unexpectedly left Barcelona, and promising defender Nuno Mendes. Later that season, PSG won the Ligue 1 title for a record 10th time but didn't do well in the Champions League.
Mbappé Leaves and Champions League Glory (2024–Present)
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Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi wanted changes after the lack of European success. PSG decided to move away from relying on individual stars and focus on building a strong team. With Messi, Neymar, and especially Kylian Mbappé leaving, the club looked for players who fit a specific tactical style and worked well together. The club also focused on long-term goals, investing in player development and hiring a coach with a clear plan. This new approach started with new manager Luis Enrique and football advisor Luís Campos.
Under Enrique, PSG dominated French football again in 2024–25, winning the Ligue 1 title with six matches to spare. He also led them to win their first Champions League title against Inter Milan, beating them 5–0 in the final. This helped PSG achieve their first ever continental treble. Luis Enrique praised Ousmane Dembélé for his "exceptional" performance in the Champions League final, where he assisted two goals and contributed significantly throughout the season with 33 goals and 15 assists. Experts like Lewis Jones from Sky Sports News called PSG "perfect as it can be from a football team. Relentless without the ball and so dangerous with it," predicting more Champions League wins.
Club Identity: Colors, Mascot, and Songs
Team Colors and Mascot
Since its beginning, Paris Saint-Germain has represented both the city of Paris and the nearby royal town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Because of this, red, blue, and white are the club's traditional colors. Red and blue represent Paris, linking to historical figures like Lafayette and Jean Sylvain Bailly. White symbolizes French royalty and Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
On the club's badge, the red Eiffel Tower on a blue background stands for Paris. The white fleur de lys below it refers to the coat of arms of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and is also a royal symbol, reminding us that French King Louis XIV was born there. PSG has had several badges over the years, but all have used these three colors.
Similarly, PSG's most recognizable shirts have been mainly red, blue, or white, always including the other two colors. The club's official mascot, Germain the Lynx, also wears PSG's traditional colors. He was introduced in 2010 for the club's 40th anniversary and entertains fans at the Parc des Princes.
Club Anthems and Mottos
"Allez Paris!" was PSG's first official song, recorded in 1971 by Belgian singer Annie Cordy. She was one of many celebrities who helped found the club. In 1977, a new anthem, "Allez Paris-Saint-Germain!" by Les Parisiens, replaced Cordy's version. Its chorus became a popular chant among fans. A newer version, also called "Allez Paris-Saint-Germain!", was made in 2010 for the club's 40th anniversary, using the tune of "Go West" by Village People with fan-suggested lyrics. This is the club's current official anthem.
"Ô Ville Lumière" (meaning "Oh City of Light"), sung to the tune of "Flower of Scotland", is another important song for PSG supporters. Other popular chants from fan groups include "Le Parc est à nous" ("The Parc is ours"), "Ici, c'est Paris!" ("This is Paris!"), and "Paris est magique!" ("Paris is magical!"). These last two are also the club's most famous mottos. "Who Said I Would" by Phill Collins has been played when players enter the field since 1992.
Famous Team Shirts
For its first three seasons, PSG's home shirt was red with blue and white details, combining all three club colors. In the 2010–11 season, PSG wore a red shirt for home matches to celebrate their 40th anniversary.
The connection between Paris Saint-Germain and fashion is long-standing. French fashion designer Daniel Hechter became PSG president in 1973 and designed the club's classic home kit that same year: a blue shirt with a red vertical stripe bordered by two thinner white stripes (blue-white-red-white-blue). First worn in the 1973–74 season, this "Hechter shirt" has been PSG's traditional home look ever since.
This famous jersey first appeared during a home game against Red Star on November 10, 1973. This was also PSG's first match at the Parc des Princes. PSG won 3–1, with Othniel Dossevi scoring the club's first goal at the stadium and the first in the Hechter shirt. PSG stars from the 1990s and 2000s like Raí, Ronaldinho, and Pauleta are linked with this kit. While wearing it, the club reached five European semi-finals in a row between 1993 and 1997, won the 1995–96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, and had eight straight wins against rivals Olympique de Marseille between 2002 and 2004.
Many believe Hechter based his design on the red-and-white jersey of Ajax, a dominant European team at the time, but with the French flag in mind. However, Hechter himself said he was inspired by the Ford Mustang car, taking its hood stripes and using the club's three colors. The Hechter shirt has two other versions: the "reversed Hechter" (red-white-blue-white-red), introduced in 1974–75, and the "white Hechter" (white-blue-red-blue-white), first seen in 1994–95.
It was with the club's most distinctive away kit, however, that fans saw the first great PSG team. This white shirt with blue and red vertical stripes on the left was worn when they won their first French Cup titles in 1982 and 1983, played their first European campaign in 1983, and won their first Ligue 1 title in 1986. Like the Hechter jersey, it debuted in 1973–74 as the away kit. Promoted by PSG president Francis Borelli, this white shirt was the club's home kit from 1981 to 1990. Now known as the "Borelli shirt," it is linked with PSG legends from the 1980s like Safet Sušić, Luis Fernández, and Dominique Bathenay.
In 2025, shirts included Arabic writing for the first time, worn in Doha for the Trophée des Champions match. The design was created by calligrapher Fatma Al Sharshani.
Club Badge Evolution
The club's first badge was similar to the original Paris FC (PFC) logo. After merging to form PSG, the PFC badge kept its design, but the name changed to "Paris Saint-Germain Football Club." This badge showed a blue football with a red ship inside, which is a historic symbol of Paris and is on the city's coat of arms.
When PSG split from PFC in 1972, they needed a new badge. The club's second badge, which represents both Paris and Saint-Germain-en-Laye, became the basis for the one used today. This round logo featured the Eiffel Tower in red on a blue background, and below it, two white symbols of Saint-Germain: a fleur de lys and Louis XIV's cradle. This badge was used from 1972 until 1982. The Parc des Princes, the club's home stadium, was added below it between 1982 and 1990.
The stadium was removed from the badge in 1990. Two years later, in 1992, club owners Canal+ completely changed it. The new design had the letters "PSG" in white on a blue-white-red-white-blue background (like the Hechter shirt colors), with "Paris Saint-Germain" written below in white on a black background. Due to fan pressure, the traditional badge returned in 1995, with "Paris Saint-Germain" above the tower and "1970" (the founding year) below the cradle. This logo was slightly updated in 2002 with a darker blue.
In 2013, at the request of the club's Qatari owners, the traditional badge was significantly changed. "Paris" is now written in large, bold white letters above a big Eiffel Tower, emphasizing the "Paris" brand. Below it, "Saint-Germain" is written in smaller letters below the fleur de lys. The cradle and the founding year "1970" were removed. PSG's deputy general manager Jean-Claude Blanc explained, "We are called Paris Saint-Germain but, above all, we are called Paris."
Friendly Tournaments Hosted by PSG
Paris Saint-Germain used to host two famous invitational tournaments: the Tournoi de Paris and the Tournoi Indoor de Paris-Bercy. The Tournoi de Paris was considered France's most important friendly football tournament. PSG started hosting it in 1975 and won it a record seven times. Held at the Parc des Princes, the Tournoi de Paris was last organized in 2012. The Tournoi Indoor de Paris-Bercy was an indoor football tournament started by PSG in 1984 and held yearly until 1991. It was played indoors with seven-a-side teams. PSG won this trophy twice, more than any other club.
Home Grounds and Training Facilities
Stadiums Where PSG Plays
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Since it began, Paris Saint-Germain has played in five main stadiums: the Stade Jean-Bouin, the Stade Georges Lefèvre, the Stade Bauer, the Stade Yves-du-Manoir, and the Parc des Princes, which is their current home. PSG played their first match at the Parc des Princes on November 10, 1973, against Ligue 2 rivals Red Star. PSG officially moved into the Parc des Princes in July 1974 when they returned to Ligue 1.
Since then, the Parc des Princes has been PSG's home stadium. The highest average attendance for a season was in 2019–20, with 47,517 spectators per match. The record for a single PSG match at the Parc des Princes was 49,575 fans on March 13, 1983, when PSG played against Waterschei in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup quarterfinals. PSG won that game 2–0.
In the 1970–71 season, the club played at both the Stade Jean-Bouin and the Stade Georges Lefèvre. The Jean-Bouin was preferred because it attracted more fans. The Georges Lefèvre regularly hosted PSG matches from 1972 to 1974 and was the home of Stade Saint-Germain before the merger. PSG also played at the Jean-Bouin again in 1973–74, rotating with the Georges Lefèvre and the Parc des Princes.
PSG played at the Stade de Paris (now Stade Bauer) for the first time in the 1971–72 season. It was used again in 1976–77, 1977–78, and twice in 1978–79 due to work on the Parc des Princes field. Similarly, the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir hosted PSG for three matches in 1971–72, once more in 1974–75, and a final time in 1975–76 when the Parc des Princes was being renovated.
Training Facilities for the Team
Campus PSG has been the club's training ground since July 2023. Located in Poissy, it replaced the Camp des Loges, PSG's historic training facility. Owned and funded by the club, this new complex brings together PSG's male and female football, handball, and judo teams, as well as their academies. Each section has its own dedicated facilities. Campus PSG will also have a stadium, which will be built after 2024 to complement the Parc des Princes. PSG's male team moved to Campus PSG on July 10, 2023, had their first group training session there on July 18, 2023, and played their first game there on July 21, 2023, a 2–0 friendly win against Le Havre.
The Camp des Loges is a training ground in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. It was the training home for PSG's male team from July 1970 to June 2023. It also became the training facility for the club's academy when it opened in November 1975. The current Camp des Loges opened in November 2008. It was renamed Ooredoo Training Centre in September 2013 as part of a sponsorship deal. The complex hosted the club's female team between June 2023 and January 2024. The men's team moved to Campus PSG in July 2023, and the club's academy and female team moved to the new site in January 2024. The Rugby union club Stade Français is expected to use the Camp des Loges starting in summer 2024.
Club Achievements and Records
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Paris Saint-Germain holds many records and is the most successful French club ever with 50 official titles. They hold the record for winning all national competitions: 13 Ligue 1 championships, 16 Coupe de France, 9 Coupe de la Ligue, and 13 Trophée des Champions. They also have one Ligue 2 title. In international football, PSG has won one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and one UEFA Intertoto Cup.
Their win in the 1995–96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup makes PSG the only French team to have won this trophy, one of only two French clubs to have won a major European competition, and the youngest European team to do so at 26 years old. They are also the only team to have won the Ligue 1 title by staying at the top of the table from the first to the last round (2022–23), and the Coupe de France without letting in a single goal (1992–93 and 2016–17). They also won five Coupe de la Ligue in a row (2014–2018), four back-to-back Coupe de France (2015–2018), and eight consecutive Trophée des Champions (2013–2020).
PSG has won all four national titles in a single season four times. This is called a domestic quadruple. The team has also achieved the domestic double (league and French Cup), the league and league cup double, the domestic cup double, the domestic treble, and the league three-peat (winning the league three times in a row) multiple times. PSG has the most domestic doubles and league and league cup doubles, is one of two teams to have won the league three-peat twice, and is the only team to have won the domestic cup double, domestic treble, and domestic quadruple.
Since its start, PSG has completed 53 seasons, with 50 of them in the highest division of French football, known as Ligue 1. In 2022–23, they celebrated their 49th consecutive season in Ligue 1, making them the longest-serving club in the competition. PSG has played continuously in Ligue 1 since the 1974–75 season. Since then, they have won twelve league titles, finishing first more often than any other position. They have also finished second nine times, meaning they have been in the top two spots 21 times. PSG has been in the top five 29 times, which is more than half of their seasons in Ligue 1. PSG's lowest finish ever is 16th, both in 1971–72 (their first in Ligue 1) and 2007–08, when they avoided relegation on the last day with a 2–1 win against Sochaux.
PSG Supporters and Rivalries
Who Are the PSG Fans?
Paris Saint-Germain is the most popular football club in France, with 22% of the country's football fans supporting them. With an estimated 35 million fans, PSG is also one of the most followed teams globally. The Parc des Princes has been their home stadium since July 1974. It has four main stands: Tribune Auteuil, Tribune Paris, Tribune Borelli, and Tribune Boulogne.
Historically, the Auteuil and Boulogne stands, known as the Virage Auteuil (VA) and the Kop of Boulogne (KoB), have been home to PSG's most dedicated fans, called ultras. These groups helped make the Parc des Princes one of the most intimidating stadiums in Europe with a great atmosphere. Other friendly, family-oriented groups have gathered in the Paris and Borelli stands, including the club's first supporters' group, Les Amis du PSG, founded in 1975.
Because the club lacked a large, passionate fan base early on, they started offering cheaper season tickets to young fans in 1976. These fans sat in Kop K. When ticket prices increased, fans from Kop K moved to the Boulogne stand in 1978, creating the Kop of Boulogne. The club's first Italian-style ultra group, the Boulogne Boys, was formed there in 1985. However, some KoB groups started acting like English hooligans, and violence increased.
In response, the club's owners, Canal+, encouraged non-violent KoB fans to move to the other end of the stadium, leading to the creation of the Virage Auteuil in 1991, led by ultra groups like Supras Auteuil. This helped at first, but a violent, racially motivated rivalry slowly grew between the two stands. This situation reached a peak in 2010. This forced PSG president Robin Leproux to act. In what became known as the Plan Leproux, the club banned all fan groups from the Parc des Princes and from away matches. It took six years for the ultras to return to the stadium. Former VA supporters formed the Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP) in May 2016, and the club allowed them back in October 2016.
PSG has officially recognized 16 fan groups at the Parc des Princes since 1975. The CUP, based in Auteuil, is currently the only officially recognized ultra group by the club. They share the stadium with other authorized groups like Hoolicool, Vikings 27, and Handicap PSG in the Paris stand; and Les Amis du PSG, Titi Fosi, and PSG Grand Sud in the Borelli stand. Unofficial groups like Block Parisii and Resistance Parisienne are trying to bring back the KoB. Karsud, the club's last remaining organized hooligan firm, is still active but has been banned from all club matches since 2017.
Le Classique: PSG's Biggest Rivalry
Paris Saint-Germain has a strong rivalry with Olympique de Marseille; games between these two teams are called Le Classique. These clubs are the two most successful clubs in French football and the only French teams to have won major European trophies. This makes their matches the biggest rivalry in France.
PSG and OM were the top teams before Olympique Lyonnais became strong in the 2000s. They are also the most followed French teams internationally and usually have the highest attendance numbers each season. Their early matches in the 1970s didn't suggest they would become such big rivals. PSG was a new team trying to become competitive, while Marseille was already a strong contender.
The rivalry really began in 1986 when PSG won their first championship and Marseille was bought by Bernard Tapie. By the end of the 1980s, PSG was fighting for the 1988–89 title against Tapie's Marseille. Accusations made by PSG president Francis Borelli against Tapie and OM for fixing matches during that season helped fuel their growing rivalry.
In the 1990s, tensions between the two teams grew even more. French TV channel Canal+ bought PSG in 1991, aiming to challenge Marseille's dominance. Canal+ and Tapie then agreed to highlight the rivalry to promote the league. With similar financial backing, PSG and OM became the main contenders for the title. Both teams were less successful in the late 1990s and 2000s, but the rivalry remained strong. Since the 2010s, PSG has dominated the matches, and the large investments from their Qatari owners have created a big gap between the clubs.
Club Ownership and Money Matters
Paris Saint-Germain was first owned by its fans, with 20,000 members. The club was managed by board members Guy Crescent, Pierre-Étienne Guyot, and Henri Patrelle. Later, a group of wealthy French businessmen, led by Daniel Hechter and Francis Borelli, bought the club in 1973. PSG changed hands again in 1991 when Canal+ took over, and then in 2006 with Colony Capital. Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) has been the main owner of PSG since 2011, holding 87.5% of the shares by 2012. Arctos Partners owns the remaining 12.5%.
QSI, backed by the Qatari government, bought a majority share in 2011 and became the sole owner in 2012. This makes PSG a state-owned club and one of the richest teams in the world. In 2023, Arctos Partners bought a smaller share in the club. QSI chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been PSG president since the takeover. However, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, has the final say on all major club decisions.
When QSI arrived, they promised to build a team that could win the UEFA Champions League. PSG has spent over €1.9 billion on player transfers since summer 2011. These huge expenses have led to PSG dominating French football, but they haven't won the Champions League until 2025. This spending also caused issues with UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules.
In January 2025, PSG had the third-highest revenue in football, earning €806 million annually, according to Deloitte. They were also the world's seventh-most valuable football club, valued at $4.4 billion, according to Forbes magazine. This financial growth is due to PSG's Qatari owners, the team's success on the field, signing famous players like Zlatan Ibrahimović, Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, and Lionel Messi, and profitable sponsorship deals with the Qatar Tourism Authority, Nike, Air Jordan, Accor, and Qatar Airways.
Trophies and Honours Won by PSG
| Type | Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | Ligue 1 | 13 | 1985–86, 1993–94, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25 |
| Coupe de France | 16 | 1981–82, 1982–83, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1997–98, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2023–24, 2024–25 | |
| Coupe de la Ligue | 9 | 1994–95, 1997–98, 2007–08, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20 | |
| Trophée des Champions | 13 | 1995, 1998, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 | |
| Ligue 2 | 1 | 1970–71 | |
| Continental | UEFA Champions League | 1 | 2024–25 |
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 1 | 1995–96 | |
| UEFA Intertoto Cup | 1 | 2001 |
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Current Players and Staff
Current Squad Members
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Players Currently on Loan
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Club Management Team
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| President |  Nasser Al-Khelaifi |
| Secretary general |  Victoriano Melero |
| Revenue officer | Marc Armstrong |
| Brand officer | Fabien Allègre |
| Corporate communications officer | Michelle Gilbert |
| First team communications officer | Pascal Ferré |
| Football Advisor |  Luís Campos |
| Deputy director of football | Olivier Gagne |
Technical Staff for the Team
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| First-team head coach |  Luis Enrique |
| 1st assistant coach | Rafel Pol |
| 2nd assistant coach | Aitor Unzué |
| Psychologist | Joaquín Valdés |
| Fitness coach | Pedro Gómez |
| Assistant fitness coach | Alberto Piernas |
| Goalkeeping coach | Borja Álvarez |
| Assistant goalkeeping coach | Jean-Luc Aubert |
See also
In Spanish: Paris Saint-Germain Football Club para niños
