Damaged pitch forces PSG to switch season opener

Paris St-Germain (PSG) have been compelled to shift their season opener due to the pitch at their home stadium, Parc des Princes, being severely damaged by the intense summer heatwaves. The French champions were set to face Rennes in a crucial Ligue 1 match on Sunday, but the fixture has been reorganized and moved to Brittany. The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) deemed the pitch unsuitable for play, citing concerns over player safety and well-being.

PSG has promised to restore the pitch at Parc des Princes before their next home match against Monaco on September 4th. The club acknowledged the inconvenience caused by this change, stressing it was an exceptional circumstance. France experienced its hottest day ever on average on June 24th, with temperatures soaring to nearly 41°C in Paris and half the nation under a red heat alert.

This extreme heat led to a 30% rise in deaths nationally, with a 62% increase in the Paris region during the same period. Western Europe has been grappling with unseasonably high temperatures this summer, leading to wildfires and a fungal disease outbreak on Celta Vigo's pitch, which forced them to postpone their La Liga opener against Osasuna.