Heatwave Hits Pitch Hard, PSG's Title Defense Opener Moved to Rennes

Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 season opener has been forced away from the Parc des Princes. Due to severe damage to the home pitch caused by this summer's extreme heat, the French football competition committee announced on Wednesday evening that the match against Rennes, originally scheduled for Sunday, will instead be played at Rennes' home ground.

PSG subsequently confirmed in a statement that the pitch condition had deteriorated sharply, and "current conditions cannot ensure the match takes place in a satisfactory environment, particularly regarding player safety and health."

The club stressed that the venue change was decided "in agreement with Rennes" and expressed gratitude to the opponent for "allowing the match to go ahead smoothly."

At the same time, PSG expressed understanding and regret towards affected supporters: "PSG fully understands the inconvenience this change causes to fans and all those who planned to attend the match at the Parc des Princes, and regrets this exceptional situation."

Looking ahead, PSG revealed that it has "found a solution to replace the pitch for the upcoming matches at the Parc des Princes." The first home match after the pitch replacement will be the Ligue 1 fixture against Monaco on September 4.