Parc des Princes

Le Parc des Princes (French pronunciation: [paʁk de pʁɛ̃s], lit. 'the Park of Princes') is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France. It is located in the southwest of the French capital, within the 16th arrondissement, directly opposite the Stade Jean-Bouin. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 47,929 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) since July 1974. The pitch is surrounded by four covered all-seater stands: Tribune Auteuil, Tribune Paris, Tribune Borelli and Tribune Boulogne. The stadium's surroundings were once a forest that served as a private recreation area and hunting ground for the king's sons (the princes) for centuries, hence the name Parc des Princes. In 1852, the area was transferred to the Council of Paris. The first Parc was built there in 1897 as a velodrome, hosting prestigious cycling competitions including the Tour de France. Expanded in 1932, the second Parc adopted a more modern design to focus on other sports such as football, rugby union and rugby league. Instigated by French president Charles de Gaulle and Minister of Sports Maurice Herzog, a project to rebuild the stadium to contemporary standards began on 8 July 1967, under the direction of Roger Taillibert and Siavash Teimouri. Georges Pompidou, who succeeded de Gaulle in 1969, officially inaugurated the stadium on 4 June 1972. The third Parc was one of the most advanced stadiums in Europe at the time, impressing with its futuristic lines, suspended concrete stands and formidable acoustics. Before the opening of the Stade de France in 1998, the Parc was the home stadium of the France national football team and the France national rugby union team. PSG's record attendance at the Parc dates back to their 2–0 victory over Waterschei in 1983 in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in front of 49,575 spectators. The French football team's record attendance at the stadium was set in 1993, when 48,402 spectators watched their 2–1 FIFA World Cup qualification defeat by Bulgaria. However, the 50,370 spectators during French rugby union team's 31–12 victory over Wales in the 1989 Five Nations Championship holds the all-time attendance record at the Parc.