Paris is known as the home of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame cathedral, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe. It is not closely associated with the word "soccer." The City of Light is more interested in culture, class and finance than football. Only six of the past 42 French national team home matches have been held in Paris for fear of low attendance. Most of the 20 million visitors to the city each year come for conventions or to experience the sites. The city was founded more than 2,100 years ago by a G allic tribe called the Parisii. It became the capital of France in the Middle Ages. Today over 2,.2 million people live in the inner city, and over 9 million inhabit the greater metropolitan area.

Parc des Princes was built in the 1920s and renovated in 1972. It has been the host for Paris St. Germain and French national team matches, concerts, Supercross events and show jumping competitions. The stadium has 49,700 seats and is located in the we st side of the city in the 16th arrondissement near Roland Garros, site of the French Open.