LIGHTS CONFIRM VENUE, FREE ENTRY FOR AFLE BOW
The Paris Lights have finally confirmed the venue for their long-awaited first home game in the American Football League Europe — and supporters will be able to attend free of charge after local authorities agreed to underwrite the event.
The French franchise announced on Tuesday that Saturday’s match-up against fellow newcomers Firenze will be played at the Complexe Sportif de l’Île-des-Vannes in L’Île-Saint-Denis, just north of Paris.
The confirmation arrives only days after AFLE executives publicly acknowledged that the Paris organisation was still battling infrastructure issues ahead of the league’s inaugural season. Speaking during AFLE’s preseason press conference last week, league COO and managing director Moritz Heisler admitted the club’s stadium situation remained unresolved at that stage.
“As per my calendar, the Paris Lights are not playing this week,” Heisler said when asked about the absence of a venue announcement. “Luckily, as I said before, Europe has a lot of great cities and diversity, but there are also some structural challenges that I think especially football teams know quite well.
“The city of Paris is not different there. It’s even a little bit more complex perhaps, but there is a stadium, the licence of the stadium has been already taken care of and I don’t know when, but it will be announced shortly.”
Tuesday’s announcement finally provided that clarity, with the AFLE confirming that the game against the Red Lions will take place at a venue renovated for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and known for its striking ‘Grande Nef’ architecture overlooking the River Seine.
In a significant gesture designed to boost turnout and visibility for the fledgling franchise, the AFLE also revealed that the City of Saint-Ouen had agreed to cover all event costs, allowing the game to be opened entirely free to the public.
“This game day is more than just a debut, it’s a statement,” Heisler said in the press statement. “Thanks to the City of Saint-Ouen, we can throw open the doors to every fan in Paris and beyond. We want the whole city to be part of this moment, free of charge.”
The delayed venue confirmation had become one of the most visible operational questions surrounding the AFLE’s launch, particularly as the start-up league attempts to position itself as a more stable and sustainable alternative than its rivals. Heisler himself acknowledged those wider challenges during the preseason media call, noting that infrastructure remains a major issue for emerging clubs across the continent.
“We see it all over, not only our league, but also other leagues that teams are changing stadiums occasionally because of soccer rules, regulations whatsoever,” he said. “But obviously infrastructural development is also part of our plan.”
The Paris Lights are one of several expansion-style projects entering the AFLE’s debut campaign alongside franchises including the London Warriors and Alpine Rams. Saturday’s game against Firenze will mark the organisation’s first competitive fixture after enjoying a bye through Week 1.