Catalans Dragons president Bernard Guasch has given an update on the club’s plans to take a game to Paris next season. The Dragons are keen to play a game in the French capital in 2026 as they celebrate their 20th year as a Super League club, with Wigan Warriors said to be potential opponents.
The fixture in Paris would also mark 30 years since Paris Saint-Germain played Sheffield Eagles in the first ever Super League game.
Stade Jean-Bouin has been identified as the ideal stadium to play the fixture, with Catalans believing the home of rugby union club Stade Francais and football outfit Paris FC is perfectly sized, with 20,000 available seats.
Wigan and Catalans played each other at the Nou Camp in Barcelona in 2019, in what was seen as a great success and the hope is that Paris can follow suit.
However, Guasch has hinted that more Catalans games could be played on the road next season while the construction of the club’s new Guasch Stand continues, with Marseille and Toulouse touted as potential locations for the Dragons.
Catalans Dragons owner on taking a Super League game to Paris
“We’re working on it, yes,” Guasch told L’Independant about the Paris game. “Jean-Bouin and its 20,000 seats are a great opportunity.
“Bringing Catalan identity back to the capital would be a great idea, wouldn’t it? But we’re also dependent on the work in Brutus concerning the Guasch stand.
“No doubt two, or even three matches could even be relocated, to Montpellier or Toulouse, why not?”
Of course, we already know that Super League will be played in Las Vegas again next season with Hull KR taking on Leeds Rhinos and a match in the French capital would provide another big boost for the competition. There has been a suggestion made by All Out Rugby League that Wigan and Warrington Wolves could look elsewhere to play another game next year after their meeting at the Allegiant Stadium in March.
