Hello,

My name is Zachary Gaouad, and I am working at the Global Reporting Centre this summer. I am also a Master’s student in French Studies at the University of British Columbia.

Last month, I was in Paris for the State of Play podcast, reporting on Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). I am so grateful to be a part of this project, given that I grew up in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a town right outside of Paris, whose name is embedded in the “SG” initials of PSG. In 2011, the club was sold to Qatar, and I remember that within a few years of the sale, the parking lot of the club’s training ground at the time (the Camp des Loges in Saint-Germain-en-Laye) seemed to be filling up with flashier and flashier cars. As I waited outside the training ground in hopes of getting autographs from PSG’s players, I routinely saw Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Bentleys driven by the biggest stars in football, like David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Not long after I moved away from the Paris area, Neymar signed to the club, and eventually, Messi did too. As a PSG fan, I was excited to see the club become such a global force.

While reporting, I spoke with people from all over the world – fans and tourists from Senegal, the US, Serbia, Russia, China, and Mexico. I met them outside the PSG store on the Champs-Élysées, outside the PSG stadium, and in various arrondissements (administrative districts) throughout Paris. Some of them had been fans for decades, while others told me they’d only supported PSG since Messi signed in 2021. During my reporting, I noticed a divide among fans: one side acknowledges the ethical dilemmas associated with the club being owned by the State of Qatar, while the other dismisses any political critiques of PSG’s owners. Nevertheless, all the fans I met are elated that PSG continues to win, even after losing the FIFA Club World Cup final to Chelsea.

Throughout my reporting, it has been fascinating to discover the extent to which Qatar’s purchase of PSG is viewed as a political ‘win-win’ for both the Qataris and the French. The sale of the club itself was orchestrated in 2010 at the Élysée by Nicolas Sarkozy, the then-President of France, and Tamim al-Thani, the former Crown Prince and current Emir of Qatar. The global image of both countries has benefited enormously from the club’s success, and PSG executives, including its Qatari President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, are regularly received at the Élysée. During PSG’s visit to the Élysée a few weeks ago, French President Emmanuel Macron exclaimed, “Vive le PSG, Vive la République et Vive la France.” A clear reflection of the moment we’re in, where sports and politics may be more inextricably intertwined than ever.

In the second bonus episode of State of Play, we’ll discuss whether such deal-making is truly a “win-win” for everyone. Listen to the episode here.

Zachary Gaouad,
Graduate Student in French Studies and Student Journalist