Champions Trophy Date Sparks controversy for marseille
The French Professional Football League (LFP) has scheduled the Champions Trophy match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Olympique de Marseille (OM) for January 8th in Kuwait. However, the date has drawn criticism from Marseille, who fear a important disadvantage due to the concurrent Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) tournament.
OM qualified for the Champions Trophy as the runner-up to PSG in Ligue 1. The match was initially postponed from its traditional summer slot due to PSG’s participation in the World Cup, and the LFP has now finalized the January 8th date.
The timing presents a challenge for Marseille, as several key players are likely to be competing in the CAN, which runs in Morocco from December 21st to January 18th, 2026. Potential absentees for OM include Nayef Aguerd, Bilal Nadir, Amine Gouiri, Hamed Junior Traoré, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. In contrast, PSG is expected to be without only Achraf Hakimi due to CAN commitments.
Marseille supporters have voiced their frustration, with one account on X (formerly Twitter) stating: “The niche of December 2 was possible for the postponement of OM-PSG but not for the Champions Trophy between OM and PSG. We understood. No problem, OM will do without its canists, without crying, without looking for an apology, without editorial in the Paris-Qatarian press.“
PSG supporters have countered that Marseille should not complain, given their qualification for the trophy is solely due to performing better than PSG in the league. They also point to OM’s previous refusal to postpone a Ligue 1 match against PSG in December.
The LFP faced a challenging scheduling task, complicated by a congested 2026 calendar including the World Cup. Despite the challenges, OM, buoyed by recent strong performances – including a victory over PSG at the Vélodrome – believe they can legitimately compete for a win in the Champions Trophy, which would also draw a large viewership to Ligue 1+.
