Park Bench acquires Bordeaux football club for symbolic €1

Park Bench, an Anglo-American investment fund, has officially become the owner of Girondins de Bordeaux, purchasing the club from Gérard Lopez for a nominal €1 after protracted talks. While the transaction is complete, the fund is required to clear about €18 million in liabilities and secure two regulatory endorsements: a court-approved continuation plan reducing debt to €12-13 million over 12 years, and regional commission approval of the new shareholder and the 2026-27 budget.

Bordeaux, which fell from Ligue 1 to the sixth-division Regional 1 in five years, will start its season on 17 October away at Bayonne. The new board hopes to reach National 2 by spring and is considering former international Benoît Trémoulinas as a potential signing.