Two posters for the round of 16 of the Coupe de France will not be held during the weekend of January 10/11. The organizers and programmers have moved the derby between PSG and PFC, and the meeting between Bayeux (R1) and OM to Monday January 12 and Tuesday January 13. The holding of the Champions Trophy organized on Thursday January 8 in Kuwait between PSG and OM is the reason given for this rescheduling, strongly criticized on social networks. As a broadcaster (the contract has even just been extended until 2030), beIN Sports concentrates this anger which he defends himself in the columns of The Team. “We are a little fed up with these constant controversies on social networks. We are a broadcaster. We are not the organizer and even less in charge of the calendarsreplies Florent Houzot, the director of antennas, programs and editorial. So there is no controversy. beIN Sports is not responsible for the date of the Champions Trophy, nor responsible for it between Paris and Marseille. Even less responsible for the qualification in the round of 16 of PSG and OM and especially for having an amateur club play on a Tuesday evening, because all the clubs had been warned in advance by the Federation”.
According to the Qatari channel, this choice to move these two matches had been planned for a long time, in consultation with the FFF, organizer of the Coupe de France, and the LFP, which schedules the Champions Trophy and the French championship. The fact that PSG was playing again in Ligue 1 on Friday January 16 (against LOSC) confirmed the choice to move the matches, arousing the anger of part of the public. beIN Sports even sees it as relentlessness after the various controversies that have arisen in recent months (Friday matches in Ligue 2, conflict with the LFP). “But at some point, we have to know what we want collectivelycontinues Houzot. Do we want exposure? Do we want funding for clubs? The Federation’s desire since 2022 is to expose its competition even more. And thanks to beIN, since 2022, the Coupe de France has had exposure that it has never had, since from the 32nd round onwards, all matches are broadcast in full. We respect our commitments. We could have scheduled matches on Friday evening but we preferred to do two multiplexes on Saturday afternoon, another on Sunday, four bonuses in a weekend where there are also other competitions like the CAN. The Coupe de France is one of the most beautiful competitions. We care about it and we have shown it. And the amateur clubs are very happy”. This is what is said.
