Brighton & Hove Albion were forced to make a last-minute cancellation of their pre-season training camp in the French resort town of Evian-les-Bains after discovering their pitches had been destroyed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s helicopter fleet.
The Premier League side had planned a summer preparation trip to the upscale Royal Resort from July 23 to August 1, aimed at getting the squad in peak physical condition ahead of the new season.
However, the club was caught off guard by the aftermath of the G7 Summit held at the same location in mid-June.
Local authorities had designated Brighton’s intended training pitches as a makeshift landing zone for military and presidential helicopters carrying world leaders, including President Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The immense weight and powerful rotor blades of the heavy aircraft churned up the pristine grass, leaving behind a scarred and unplayable surface.
When an advance inspection team from Brighton arrived to assess the facilities, they found the pitches had failed to recover more than a month later.
Realizing no proper training sessions could take place, the club scrapped the trip entirely, which also forced the cancellation of their planned pre-season friendly against French Ligue 2 side Annecy.
