Brest Granted Authorization to Construct New Football Stadium

Stade Brestois, the French football club, has announced that they have received the necessary approvals from Brest city officials to proceed with the construction of a new stadium. The proposed venue, to be named Arkéa Park, will maintain the current 15,000-seat capacity of their existing home ground, Stade Francis-Le Blé.

The decision to build a new stadium comes in response to recent challenges faced by the club. Following their qualification for the Champions League, Brest has been unable to host matches at their home stadium due to various issues. As a result, they have been forced to play their home games at the Stade du Roudourou, home to their regional rivals EA Guingamp.

While Stade Francis-Le Blé has been operating under special exemptions from the French Professional Football League to host Ligue 1 matches, the club has determined that constructing a new stadium would be more cost-effective than renovating the existing facility. Renovation plans would have necessitated a significant reduction in capacity and potentially impacted nearby residential and educational buildings.

Brest officials emphasize that Arkéa Park is envisioned as a modern, multi-purpose venue capable of hosting a variety of events throughout the year, extending its utility beyond the 17 annual Ligue 1 home matches. This approach aims to maximize the stadium’s potential and benefit the local community.

The approval of Arkéa Park marks a significant milestone for Stade Brestois, paving the way for improved facilities that meet current standards and support the club’s ambitions in top-flight French football.