New ownership and leadership

The Girondins de Bordeaux are entering a new era as they prepare for their first match of the championship on Friday, October 16, 2026. The club, which was purchased at the end of September by investment fund Park Bench, has avoided judicial liquidation and is now competing in Regional 1, the sixth division of French football, after being relegated from a higher tier. Dominique Delport has taken over as president, succeeding Gérard Lopez, and will be joined by general director Arnaud Saint-André, who remains in his position.

Reinforcements and experienced players

The team has been significantly reinforced with the recruitment of three former professionals—Bastien Guillaume, Baptiste Isola, and Namaroko Diallo—and the anticipated return of Benoît Trémoulinas, who was part of the 2009 French champion team. Arnaud Cormier, now in charge of the team aiming for promotion to National 2, can also count on six players who nearly reached Ligue 3 last spring before the club was financially sanctioned by the DNCG.

New coaching staff and fan support

The Bordeaux coaching staff, which is awaiting approval from the Bordeaux commercial court to publicly speak about their continuation plan, has also announced the arrival of Paul Baysse as an assistant coach. Baysse, a former player and captain of the Girondins in Ligue 1, will retain his role with the U17 National team. Nearly 500 Bordeaux supporters are expected to attend the match in Bayonne, marking the first time the club will have supporters in the stands this season.

Logistics and security measures

Although there had been talk of a closed match, a ticket office will open in the afternoon in front of the Didier Deschamps stadium in Bayonne, with the Aviron Bayonnais FC charging 15 euros for entry due to high security costs. The club has also reserved a parking area for the Bordeaux ultras near the 500 seats, on a venue that can accommodate 1,500 spectators. The Aviron Bayonnais FC is mindful of the events that occurred last May during the match between its first team and that of the Girondins, which resulted in significant financial losses due to the destruction of many seats at Jean-Dauger.