Congo likely to play host to French Super Cup and welcome PSG

In January, Kylian Mbappe and his Paris Saint-Germain teammates might find themselves embarking on an unforeseen journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

To defend their title as Ligue 1 champions, PSG will face off against last year’s Coupe de France champions, Toulouse, in the Trophée des Champions. However, the game has not yet taken place, despite having been planned for the month of August before being suddenly postponed.

The initial idea was to relocate the match to Qatar or Saudi Arabia, but it has now been delayed until January 3. As reported by Le Parisien, the matchup between PSG and Toulouse is likely destined for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Because of the present situation, offers from Qatar and Saudi Arabia were rejected, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which had previously been ruled out, is now being considered. The Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecote in Kinshasa, which now has synthetic grass, might have a hybrid pitch for the tournament, giving the Congolese bid some credence despite Vincent Labrune’s initial rejection.

When and where will Trophée des Champions take place?

PSG are reportedly trying to host the match against Toulouse at the Parc des Princes. Due to preparations for the 2024 Olympic Games, the Stade de France will be closed for soccer action until September.

Nevertheless, the match’s location is still up in the air, although it’s possible that France may play host. This battle was previously supposed to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, in August. There were allegations that the cancellation was made out of concerns for the health of King Rama X’s daughter, but the event was ultimately scrapped.

While Bangkok dropped out of the running, Toulouse have also lately shown fresh enthusiasm for hosting the competition. It is thus likely that the two French sides will play each other at the start of January.

History of French Super Cup

The origin of the tournament dates back to the 20th century when, in 1949, two teams, Reims and Racing Paris, engaged in an ‘unofficial game’ for the cup. In 1995, the Trophée des Champions was officially established, and the inaugural team to claim the trophy under its new name were Paris Saint-Germain.

They secured victory against Nantes in a match ultimately decided by penalty kicks. In fact, the Parisians stand as the club with the most French Super Cup wins since 1995.

Starting in 2013, they have been dominating the competition, maintaining a firm grip on the trophy until their winning streak was disrupted by a 1-0 loss to Lille in 2021. In that particular year, although they didn’t clinch Ligue 1, PSG secured the Coupe de France.

The past decade highlights PSG’s unparalleled success, and it appears improbable that any other French team will match their achievements. Winning two French Super Cups consecutively in the next five years seems particularly challenging for any contender.

Lyon won six straight championships from 2002 to 2007, but it was a different era and they had superstars like Juninho on the roster back then.  Both Bordeaux and Marseille have accomplished back-to-back cup victories, but before 1995, only Saint-Etienne (1967–1969) won the French Super Cup more than twice in succession.

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