Hosting Challenges Shadow Coupe de France Matches on December 19, 2025

The upcoming Coupe de France matches scheduled for December 19, 2025, are facing significant logistical challenges, particularly affecting amateur clubs and their venues. The FC Saint-Cyr/Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or vs. Olympique Lyonnais game is currently in jeopardy. FC Saint-Cyr, an amateur club, lacks adequate facilities to host the match. Although Olympique Lyonnais offered to play at Groupama Stadium, the broadcaster beIN Sports shifted the match to Sunday evening due to a scheduling conflict with RC Lens. This change led to concerns from FC Saint-Cyr’s president, Hassane Baba-Arbi, who worried the match might be canceled since OL refuses to play on Sunday citing additional organizational costs. Baba-Arbi made a heartfelt appeal, offering to donate all match proceeds to OL to ease financial concerns and urging for solidarity to avoid cancellation.

Meanwhile, Football Club de Périgny will face Le Mans on December 19 at 20:45 but must move their game away from the Stade Rochelais due to a scheduling clash—beIN Sports scheduled their match on Friday night, conflicting with Stade Rochelais’s home game. Périgny’s president, Grégory Dufourd, acknowledged the setback but remains enthusiastic about the event, saying the match will be “a huge celebration.” The alternative venue is the municipal stadium with a capacity of 2,500, with tickets set to go on sale soon.

These situations highlight the complex coordination difficulties between amateur clubs, professional teams, and broadcasters, with venue availability and scheduling conflicts putting matches at risk or forcing venue changes. The appeals from club presidents underline the importance of solidarity and flexibility to preserve the spirit and accessibility of the Coupe de France for smaller communities.