Bollaert stadium -

LAURENT SANSON / SIPA

  • The Bollaert stadium in Lens will host the Champions trophy for the first time.

  • Usually organized abroad, the competition is held this season in France because of the health context.

  • Ten stadiums had applied to host the event.

Normally, this PSG-OM should never have been played on January 13 at Bollaert.

But in a world upset for a year by the coronavirus, the champions' trophy was no exception.

Organized since 2009 abroad to promote Ligue 1 outside our borders, this competition pits the champion of France against the winner of the Coupe de France or his runner-up (which is the case with OM).

Until last November, the Professional Football League, organizer of the event, believed that its Champions trophy could take place as usual abroad.

For a long time, Mediterranean countries like Morocco, located near France, held the rope.

A draw between the Park and the Velodrome has been considered

But the rebound of the epidemic in the world in the fall led the organizers to find a fallback solution in France.

Initially, a draw to choose between the Parc des Princes or the Stade Vélodrome had even been considered.

But the two clubs wishing to play on neutral ground, the League ended up launching a call for candidatures from the stadiums of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2.

"The LFP received ten applications and selected RC Lens after examining many criteria including the quality of the pitch, the reception conditions for the clubs, the TV rendering and the cost of making the stadium available" , explains the LFP.

Bollaert, the best value for money

Speakers such as the Hainaut stadium in Valenciennes or the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve d'Ascq had also applied.

But Bollaert ended up winning it easily thanks to his best value for a closed-door game that won't bring in revenue.

As for the date of January 13, it was set in an overloaded calendar.

With the organization of the final four of the Champions League last August, impossible to start the season as usual with this trophy.

And between the Champions League, the Coupe de France and Ligue 1, only this date of Wednesday, January 13 seemed to be suitable in an overloaded calendar.

Still, this place and this date should remain unusual.

The League is already looking for a place to host the 2021 Champions trophy abroad at the start of next season… if the health situation allows it;

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Ligue 1: The 2020 Champions Trophy between PSG and OM will be played on January 13 at the Bollaert stadium in Lens

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