American investors buy Bordeaux for symbolic €1
On a bleak morning in the Bassins à Flot district, where the smell of wet asphalt mixes with the echo of empty stands, the club announces an unexpected transaction: the French football club Girondins de Bordeaux is being taken over for one euro.
Financial crisis and sale
The American investment group Park Bench, led by investor Bench, buys the six‑time national champion for a symbolic amount of €1. In return, the buyer assumes the tens of millions in debt from the current owner Gérard López, once the sale is approved by the competition board of Nouvelle‑Aquitaine.
Bordeaux were relegated in 2022 after thirty consecutive seasons in the top French division. Two years ago the club lost its professional licence due to financial problems and was dropped to the fourth tier.
The club’s historic success remains impressive: the French title was won in 1950, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1999 and 2009, and in 1995 Bordeaux captured the Intertoto Cup.
Bordeaux sold for one euro as French football faces historic crisis
Among the many names that have worn the shirt are the Dutch former internationals Wim Kieft, Richard Witschge and Stanley Menzo. Goalkeeper Jan Hoekstra, who had a contract until 2028, saw his agreement terminated and is now without a club.
The former club of the current French national team coach Zinédine Zidane is playing this season in the sixth tier, a heartbreaking drop for a club with such a rich heritage.
The sale marks a new chapter for Bordeaux, with hopes that the American capital influx will restore financial stability and the club can climb back up to higher divisions.