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



<p>To defend their title as Ligue 1 champions, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/psg-tv-schedule/">PSG</a> 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.</p>



<p>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 <a href="https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/football/psg/psg-et-si-le-trophee-des-champions-se-jouait-finalement-a-kinshasa-13-11-2023-ZETE5VQIJVE47EKJOHQKKN5OBA.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Le Parisien</a>, the matchup between PSG and Toulouse is likely destined for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<h2>When and where will Trophée des Champions take place?</h2>



<p>PSG are reportedly trying to host the match against Toulouse at the Parc des Princes. Due to preparations for the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/biggest-soccer-events-in-2024-mark-your-calendars-20231025-WST-464504.html">2024 Olympic Games</a>, the Stade de France will be closed for soccer action until September.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<h2>History of French Super Cup</h2>



<p>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.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="426" height="645" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231119_WST_471392_image-9.webp&amp;width=426&amp;height=645" alt="" class="wp-image-471419" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/image-9.png 426w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/image-9-198x300.png 198w" sizes="(max-width: 426px) 100vw, 426px"></figure><figcaption>The venue for the game has yet to be announced</figcaption></figure>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.&nbsp; 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.</p>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO / NurPhoto</p>


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

Possible travel plans for Kylian Mbappe and the rest of the PSG squad in January include a trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Congo likely to play host to French Super Cup and welcome PSG - World Soccer Talk


<p>As <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/ligue-un-tv-schedule/">Ligue 1</a> hunts a new media rights deal in the US, it has revealed a bold strategy to entice potential broadcasters. While teams are no strangers to friendlies in the United States, the French top flight may take it a step further. There is legitimate reason to believe Ligue 1 will bring a meaningful contest to the United States.</p>



<p>John Ourand of the <em><a href="https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2023/10/09/sports-media.aspx?publicationSource=sbj&amp;issue=98ef2e6b3fc24af08ae0594794579593" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sports Business Journal</a></em> spoke to Ben Morel, the CEO of LFP Media. LFP Media is the company that controls all commercial activities for the French league. Morel says putting a meaningful game in the United States is what American fans care about.</p>



<p>“I’ve had a lot of history in my previous jobs of doing a lot of international games, and I know that what is important is the meaningfulness of them,” Morel said. “They can’t just be exhibition games. They have to be games that matter. We want to do this as a long-term play, not just as one-off, nice little exhibitions.”</p>



<p>With the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/ligue-1-international-rights-tender-next-month-20230918-WST-456859.html">Ligue 1 rights deal with beIN SPORTS</a> concluding at the end of the 2023/24 season, the French league is hunting for a lucrative deal. Also, Ligue 1 is looking to have more of an international presence. Morel said building on the social power and general popularity of its players can help it compete against other leagues.</p>



<p>“Our social diversity and multiculturalism defines French football and makes it very genuine and authentic, not a marketing stunt,” Morel said. “We might not be the biggest league, but we want to be the coolest and the most enshrined in today’s youth culture.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">CHEEKY FROM AUBA 😍🇬🇦 <a href="https://t.co/MRNCgnYFYJ">pic.twitter.com/MRNCgnYFYJ</a></p>— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ligue1_ENG/status/1711144941324271656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h2>Ligue 1 US game is not confirmed, but it is a possibility</h2>



<p>While Morel did not mention what game would feature on US soil, there are several context clues for what a meaningful game may be. For one, it is highly unlikely Ligue 1 would put a league game in the United States. With each team having a home and away game against the other 19 teams in the competition, one team would have a clear advantage.</p>



<p>Also, given Morel’s comments that Ligue 1 wants to use the superstars of the league, Ligue 1 would want to place its elite teams in a game on US soil. Therefore, clubs like PSG, Lyon, Marseille, and Monaco would be potential clubs to play because they can use the stars for promotion.</p>



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<p>“They need to be part of our promotion actively and not just in passing,” Morel said. “We want to basically showcase them in a very different way, giving new access and getting all the fans around the world to know their stories.”</p>



<p>Consequently, a competition like the Trophee des Champions, or the French Supercup, would be ideal. On top of that, the French Supercup has been played outside of France in 13 out of the last 14 editions. That included a stop at Red Bull Arena just outside of New York City in 2012. The only issue back then was the game was between Montpellier and Lyon. A 21-year-old Alexandre Lacazette was among the most notable players. By comparison, PSG and its cast of stars have played in each Trophee des Champions since then.</p>



<p>Bringing a player like Kylian Mbappe to the United States would develop more American fans. That is what Ligue 1 hopes for with its media rights deal: the opportunity to show Kylian Mbappe in a new light to American fans in a competitive environment.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / AOP.Press</em></p>


Ligue 1 open to playing cup game in US in new media rights deal

As Ligue 1 hunts a new media rights deal in the US, it revealed a bold strategy to entice potential broadcasters that includes a foreign game.

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

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Ligue 1 open to playing cup game in US in new media rights deal