Ligue 1
Angers
Auxerre
BrestParis Football Club (French pronunciation: [paʁi futbol klœb]), commonly referred to as Paris FC, PFC or Paris, are a French professional football club based in Paris, France, which competes in Ligue 1, the top division of French football.
Founded in 1969, the club merged with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 1970, but it spun off in 1972. They are nicknamed Les Bleus (The Blues) for their shirt colour, and their crest features the Eiffel Tower. Since 2025, Paris FC has been playing at the Stade Jean-Bouin, located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris across the street from PSG's Parc des Princes. Unlike their counterpart, they struggled to establish themselves in the ranks of French football, returning to Ligue 1 in 2025.
Since 2024, Paris FC have been majority-owned by the Arnault family's Agache Sport, which currently holds 52.4% of the shares. Alter Paris led by Pierre Ferracci owns 29.8%, Austrian conglomerate Red Bull GmbH owns 10.6%, and BRI Sports Holdings owns 7.2% of the club's shares.
Foundation and split (1969–1972)
In January 1969, the French Football Federation (FFF) initiated a plan to establish a major club in Paris, as the capital lacked a top-tier football team. To lead this effort, a dedicated committee was formed, headed by Fernand Sastre, Henri Patrelle, and Guy Crescent. A month later, the FFF launched a public campaign with the slogan "Yes to a great football club in Paris", distributing ballots through newspapers and at stadiums across the Paris region. The campaign yielded around 60,000 responses, with "Paris Football Club" (or "Football-Club de Paris") emerging as the favorite name among the public. The first general assembly of Paris FC, officially created the club, two presidents were appointed: Guy Crescent and Pierre-Étienne Guyot. Crescent, Guyot, and Patrelle soon faced significant financial hurdles in moving the project forward. Their breakthrough came after meeting Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabéu, who advised them to start a public subscription campaign to raise the necessary funds, a suggestion they would later follow.
Seeking entry into Division 1, Paris FC approached CS Sedan Ardennes for a merger, but Sedan declined due to a previous failed attempt with Racing. With the FFF under pressure to bring top-flight football back to the capital, Paris FC merged with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain in 1970. For the first time in France, fans helped fund a club’s creation. Paris FC provided financial backing, while Stade Saint-Germain contributed players, manager Pierre Phelipon, Camp des Loges, and their Division 2 status. However, the club soon faced financial trouble, with losses of 205,000 francs.
In September 1971, the Paris City Council offered 850,000 francs to cover PSG’s debt, demanding the name be changed to "Paris Football Club" to reflect the capital more closely. President Guy Crescent supported the change, but Henri Patrelle opposed it. Crescent resigned in December 1971 and Patrelle took over, but the council held firm. After having merged the two clubs, they separated again, and the split became official on June 1, 1972. Paris FC retained the first division status and professional players, while PSG was relegated to Division 3 and lost its professional status.