Paris FC

Foundation and relegation (1969–1973)

In 1969, the French Football Federation launched a project to establish a major football club in Paris, led by Fernand Sastre, Henri Patrelle and Guy Crescent. Paris FC was created with the aim of reaching the top division, and in 1970 it merged with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain. The partnership was short-lived, however, as disagreements over the club's identity and finances led to the split in 1972. Paris FC retained its place in Division 1, while PSG were relegated to Division 3.

Rebuilding and difficult years (1974–2024)

Paris FC struggled to establish itself among France's leading clubs. After PSG returned to the top flight and took over the Parc des Princes in 1974, Paris FC experienced financial problems, several changes of ownership and repeated relegations. The club briefly returned to Division 1 in 1978–79 but were relegated after one season. Further difficulties led to several rebrandings, including Racing Paris 1, Paris FC 98 and Paris FC 2000, before the club returned to the name Paris Football Club in 2005. Under Jean-Marc Pilorget, Paris FC won its Championnat de France Amateur group in 2006 and returned to the Championnat National, moving to the Stade Sébastien Charléty in 2007.

Following its return to the third tier, Paris FC spent several years rebuilding. The club eventually earned promotion to Ligue 2 in 2015, ending a 32-year absence from the second tier, although it was relegated after only one season. Paris FC returned to Ligue 2 in 2017 after SC Bastia's administrative relegation and gradually established itself as a competitive second-tier side.

In July 2020, the Kingdom of Bahrain became a strategic partner and acquired a 20% stake in Paris FC, while Pierre Ferracci remained the majority shareholder. The investment provided greater financial stability as the club continued to pursue promotion to Ligue 1.

Arnault Ownership (2024–present)

In October 2024, it was reported that the Arnault family would acquire a majority stake in Paris FC alongside a minority investment from Red Bull. The takeover was completed on 29 November, with Agache Sport holding 52.4%, Pierre Ferracci's Alter Paris holding 29.8%, Red Bull 10.6% and BRI 7.2%. Ferracci remained club president, while the new ownership brought greater financial resources and ambitions to the project.

On 2 May 2025, the club secured promotion to Ligue 1 after a 1–1 draw with Martigues, returning to France's top division for the first time since 1979. Paris FC's first Ligue 1 season since 1979 brought a mixture of experienced players and younger talent. Stéphane Gilli was replaced by Antoine Kombouaré during the season, and the club ultimately finished 11th, comfortably avoiding relegation. The campaign ended with a 2–1 home victory over Paris Saint-Germain at Stade Jean-Bouin, while Paris FC had also defeated PSG 1–0 in the Coupe de France earlier in the season to record their first competitive victory over their city rivals. Following the season, Kombouaré left the club by mutual agreement and was replaced by Liam Rosenior in July 2026.