Jaques sat in the driver’s seat of his old but reliable Citroën, staring down the road. He was ready. The match was calling. But just as they rolled out of the driveway, Stefan, sitting beside him, shouted:
“Wait! I forgot my passport!”
Jaques groaned. They were already behind schedule, and now this.
After a quick detour back to Stefan’s house to grab the missing document, they were finally on the road. The Citroën rattled into motion, its familiar squeaks and groans oddly comforting.
“Relax,” Jaques said. “They barely check this border. It’s part of the Schengen zone.”
A few hours later, the two crossed from France into Monaco to watch their beloved Olympique Lyonnais face AS Monaco in a Ligue 1 clash.
As they made their way into the stadium, Jaques turned to Stefan and grinned:
“You know what I love about this place? I can park right underneath the pitch.”
“Oui! Magnifique,” Stefan replied with a smirk.
The League That Knows No Borders
Stade Louis II is one of the most unique stadiums in world football. Built into the Fontvieille district of Monaco, it sits right on the edge of France—and literally above a multi-storey car park. The pitch is on the roof.
What makes it even more interesting? The league it belongs to.
AS Monaco is based in a separate country, yet they’ve competed in France’s Ligue 1 for decades. So every away team—and plenty of fans—cross an international border just to play a domestic league match. No visas, no passport checks (usually), but still: international football, technically.
For Jaques and Stefan, it's part of the fun. A drive along the coast, a border crossing, and 90 minutes of football. The forgotten passport just made the story better.
Because in this league, the journey is part of the matchday.
Other Border-Crossing Clubs (You Might’ve Missed)
This Monaco case is the most visible in top-tier football, but it’s not the only one:
Swiss Super League: FC Vaduz
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Based in Liechtenstein, FC Vaduz plays in the Swiss football league system.
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Every away team leaves Switzerland to play them.
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They usually compete in the Swiss Challenge League (2nd tier), not the top flight.
English Football System: Welsh Clubs
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Clubs like Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport County, and Wrexham are based in Wales, but play in the English football pyramid. This means that English clubs must cross the border into Wales, though there are no controls—so it’s not international travel in the strict sense. But still, it’s a cross-national domestic league setup.
Historical Example
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During the Anschluss era (1938–1945), Austrian clubs played in the German system. This was mainly was due to geopolitical events at the time.
A Border-Crossing League. A Rooftop Car Park. And 90 Minutes of Football.
Ligue 1 doesn’t make a big deal about it, but it’s home to a rare phenomenon in football: a club where teams and fans have to leave their country to play a league match—and where you can park directly under the pitch.