Stade Français, the pink club of Paris
Stade Français was born on 12 December 1883 at the café Le Procope, founded by six students. The king of rugby around 1900, it lay dormant for decades until Max Guazzini, president from 1992 to 2011, brought it back to the top with titles and a flair for spectacle: the pink shirt, introduced in 2005, became its signature. Its honours list includes 14 French championship titles (the most recent in 2015) and a European Challenge Cup in 2017. Since 2017 the club has been owned by the businessman Hans-Peter Wild.
The team coached by Paul Gustard finished third in the 2025-2026 regular season and went out in the semi-final. Its supporters form the "Pink Army" and the atmosphere matches: festive and good-natured, with lots of families and English-speaking expats.
Stade Jean-Bouin, opposite the Parc des Princes
Stade Jean-Bouin is at 20-40 avenue du Général-Sarrail, 75016 Paris, on the other side of rue du Parc des Princes and a stone's throw from Roland-Garros. The current stadium, rebuilt between 2010 and 2013 by the architect Rudy Ricciotti, holds 20,000 spectators beneath a lattice of 3,600 fibre-reinforced concrete panels that evokes fish scales. Owned by the City of Paris, it has been shared since 2025 with Paris FC, hence the artificial pitch. The roof covers every seat.
The proximity of the Parc des Princes means you can combine both outings on the same trip: our guide to a PSG match at the Parc des Princes details the experience across the road.
Buying a ticket at the official price
Seats are sold through the club's online ticketing and its app. Since April 2026, stadium access has been fully digital: the ticket is shown on a smartphone via the official app, and paper is no longer accepted. An assistance desk opens two hours before kick-off, near gate E.
Unlike football, an ordinary Top 14 match does not sell out: seats can be found up to the day itself, except for big fixtures (Toulouse, Racing 92, Toulon, Bordeaux). Still, book two to three weeks ahead to choose your stand. Avoid unofficial resellers.
Prices by stand noted in September 2026
Price grid for an ordinary Top 14 match (single price, regardless of age):
- Virage and Supporters SFP: from €12. Behind the posts, where the Pink Army sings.
- Ligne d'Essai: from €15. The best value for atmosphere.
- Tribune Sensation, Ligne des 22: from €20. A decent side-on view.
- Tribune Fan: from €22.
- Centrale: from €25, Ligne Médiane from €30. At the centre of the pitch, facing the bench.
- Ligne des 22 Présidentielle: from €46.
- Présidentielle (next to the benches): from €75; "Tunnel entrée joueurs" seats from €80.
Fixtures against Toulouse or Racing 92 and Champions Cup matches cost more, rarely above €100 excluding hospitality. For the rest of your trip, see booking ahead in Paris.
The calendar: when Stade Français play at home
The 2026-2027 Top 14 began on 5 September 2026; the regular season ends on the weekend of 5 June 2027, followed by the quarter-finals, the semi-finals in Bordeaux and the final at the Stade de France on 26 June 2027. Stade Français play 13 league matches at Jean-Bouin, almost always on Saturday (2:30pm, 4:30pm or 9pm) or Sunday afternoon. The league publishes the round and the opponent over the summer, but the day and kick-off time are only set a few weeks beforehand: plan your stay around a match weekend, not a specific date.
Among the announced home fixtures: La Rochelle (late October), Toulouse (19-20 December), Bordeaux-Bègles (20-21 February), Clermont (17-18 April), Racing 92 (24-25 April) and Toulon (15-16 May). In the Champions Cup, the club is in a pool with Northampton, Bath, Cardiff, Montpellier and the Bulls from Pretoria; two matches are played at Jean-Bouin at 9pm, against Northampton on 11 December 2026 and Cardiff on 9 January 2027. The final takes place on 22 May 2027 in Lyon.
The atmosphere on match day
Rugby is enjoyed without segregation between supporters: an away shirt is welcome anywhere. The gates open about 1h30 before kick-off. The club puts real effort into the pre-match: dance shows, activities for children aged 5 to 12, autograph sessions, a food court and draught beer at the Bar des Lys. Payment is by card or contactless only. After an evening match, the "Bodega des Roses" keeps the party going until 12:50am with a DJ.
Several times a season, a match becomes a themed party (a Winter Party with raclette in February, a Christmas evening, a fans' day on 24 April 2027), at the same prices. Allow 2h30 on site. For the rest of the evening, see our guide to Paris at night.
Getting to Stade Jean-Bouin by public transport
- Métro 9, Porte de Saint-Cloud: the most convenient station, five minutes' walk along avenue du Général-Sarrail.
- Métro 10, Porte d'Auteuil: five minutes' walk alongside Roland-Garros.
- Buses 22, 32, 52, 62, 72 and 88; tram T3a and RER C at Pont du Garigliano, fifteen minutes' walk away.
With 20,000 spectators, the métro flows smoothly, except when PSG are playing at the same time. Sort out your tickets with our guide to the métro and RER and our comparison of Navigo or Paris Visite. After a 9pm match, the last métros run between 12:30am and 1:30am depending on the day. Driving is pointless.
The official shop
The Boutique des Roses is at the foot of the stadium, near gate E, a few minutes' walk from the PSG Megastore. It opens on weekdays at variable times (check the club's website) and on match days, generally from 5pm to 9pm and again after the final whistle. The club's online shop also delivers to hotels.
Watching rugby without a ticket: the bars
Paris has genuine rugby bars, also handy for away matches. Le Comptoir Rugby Bar (354 bis rue de Vaugirard, 75015 Paris) has a club-house feel; No Scrum No Win (19 rue des Canettes, 75006 Paris), Le Rugby (2 rue Roquépine, 75008 Paris) and the Eden Park Pub (10 rue Princesse, 75006 Paris) show every Top 14 match. Expect €7 to €9 a pint.
The derby and the France XV
Racing 92, the other Île-de-France club, is going through a transition season before returning to its renovated Stade Yves-du-Manoir in Colombes. The first-leg derby is played at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre (formerly Paris La Défense Arena, renamed in July 2026) on the weekend of 26-27 December 2026, for the Top 14's Boxing Day round: it is the last rugby match announced in this 30,000-seat indoor arena. A good excuse to discover La Défense. The return leg takes place at Jean-Bouin on the weekend of 24-25 April 2027.
For the France XV, head to the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. In the 2027 Six Nations, Les Bleus host Wales on Saturday 6 February and Scotland on Sunday 21 February 2027. Tickets, sold by the Fédération française de rugby, are far more expensive and scarcer than for a club match.
Practical summary
| Experience | Indicative 2026 price | Where to book | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top 14 match at Jean-Bouin | €12–80 depending on stand | Stade Français ticketing | Saturday or Sunday, Sept–June |
| Big fixture (Toulouse, Racing 92) | €20–100 and up | Stade Français ticketing | Kick-off time set a few weeks before |
| Champions Cup at Jean-Bouin | €20–100 | Stade Français ticketing | 11 Dec 2026 and 9 Jan 2027, 9pm |
| Derby at the Plenitude Arena | around €20–100 | Racing 92 ticketing | Weekend of 26-27 Dec 2026 |
| France XV, Six Nations | from around €50 | FFR / Stade de France ticketing | 6 and 21 Feb 2027 |
Prices noted in September 2026, varying with the opponent and the competition.
Going further
Jean-Bouin shares its surroundings with Roland-Garros; in spring, our article Roland-Garros: what to do in Paris will help you plan a sporting trip in western Paris.
