Bordeaux’s Matmut Atlantique Stadium has applied to host France’s national team games in 2024, according to a report from Sud-Ouest. Due to compliance and renovation works, the Stade de France won’t host any event next year before the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, which are due to be held from Friday July 26th to Sunday August 11th. The French FA are looking for grounds to host Les Bleus matches as well as the 2024 Coupe de France final.
Bordeaux’s 42,000-seater, built with a view to host Euro 2016 games, has responded to the French FA’s bidding process, as Marseille’s Vélodrome did too. The French national team only played once at the Matmut-Atlantique, for a friendly game against Serbia that the Didier Deschamps-led side won 2-1 thanks to a brace from then-PSG midfielder Blaise Matuidi.
France will also need to find a replacement ground next autumn for their Euro 2024 qualifier against Ireland on September 7, with the Stade de France hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup opener, a mouth-watering France v New Zealand clash on September 8. It should not be the Bordeaux ground, as the Matmut-Atlantique will also host World Cup games.
GFFN | Bastien Cheval
