Top 14 final gets a new venue
NEWS: The Top 14 final for the 2023-24 season will be held in Marseille as the Stade de France will be in the process of being ready for use for the Paris Olympics, officials said Monday.
The LNR, the body that runs the professional rugby union in France, explained that although the Olympics start on July 26 – after the scheduled Top 14 final date, the Stade de France would be in full conversion mode for Paris 2024.
The Stade de France is slated to host both the opening and closing ceremonies of the Summer Olympics, as well as rugby sevens and athletics.
Marseille’s Stade Velodrome is a proven choice as the venue and will this season host the finals of the European Champions and Challenge Cups on May 27-28.
The LNR also said that the semi-finals of the 2022-23 season would be staged in San Sebastian, in the heart of the Spanish Basque country but just 20km (12 miles) from the border with France.
This season, the Top 14 semi-finals will be at Nice on June 17-18, with the final at the Stade de France on June 24.
