Paris Saint-Germain’s summer pitch crisis could yet claim a high-profile casualty. Jonathan Calderwood, the club’s ground manager since 2013, has been called to a preliminary meeting that could lead to his dismissal after the Parc des Princes was ruled unfit to host the opening Ligue 1 match against Rennes.
The Northern Irish groundsman has spent 13 years in Paris after joining from Aston Villa, where he had twice been recognised as the Premier League’s leading groundsman. His future at PSG is now uncertain, with a final decision following the disciplinary procedure not yet made.
Rennes fixture moved after Parc pitch problem
PSG had been scheduled to begin their Ligue 1 campaign at home to Rennes, but the fixture was switched to Roazhon Park because the surface at the Parc des Princes could not be used.
The Paris club blamed exceptional summer heat in the capital region, which damaged the work carried out by Calderwood and his staff. The disruption nevertheless became a major embarrassment for PSG, whose home ground was unavailable for a league-season opener.
The Ligue de Football Professionnel fined PSG €150,000 over the situation. Paris succeeded in securing a reversal of the two clubs’ home-and-away dates, meaning the return match, originally planned in Brittany, is now due to take place at the Parc des Princes.
Rennes have lodged an appeal with the CNOSF, the French Olympic and Sports Committee, and the final outcome of that challenge remains pending.
Pitch ranking also counted against PSG
The Rennes episode was not the only concern surrounding PSG’s playing surface. In the Ligue 1 pitch assessment at the end of the 2025-26 season, Paris lost their position at the top of the ranking despite the resources invested in the stadium.
Nice took first place, while Metz and Nantes also finished above PSG. Paris ended the assessment outside the top three, a result that had already weakened Calderwood’s standing before the summer fixture failure.
With the club examining responsibility for the Rennes relocation, Calderwood could leave PSG in the coming weeks or months, bringing an end to one of the longer behind-the-scenes tenures at the French champions.
