Protests push the LFP to postpone the PSG‑Lyon match

While in London the Ballon d’Or ceremony is being celebrated, social tensions in France are forcing the Ligue to postpone by one day the Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint Germain and Olympique Lyon, originally scheduled for Sunday at the Parc des Princes.

On Friday the Ligue de Football Professionnel announced that, following concerns raised by the police, the Ligue 1 match has been postponed. The decision was taken as the capital prepares for another weekend of protests.

“The LFP acknowledges the order issued by the police Prefecture, which bans the PSG‑Lyon match scheduled for the eighth round of the McDonald’s Ligue 1, Sunday 25 October at 20:45, and has decided, in agreement with Ligue 1+, to reschedule the fixture for Monday 26 October at 20:30,” the LFP said.

Paris postpones PSG‑Lyon clash amid looming protests

Security and protests in France

Interior Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed the deployment of massive security measures ahead of Saturday’s protests. The recorded violence is among the most serious in recent years, after weeks of student demonstrations and protests against the cost of living. Security complexity increased for the NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday at the Stade de France. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers warned that the NFL would cancel the match in Paris if the situation was not deemed safe.

Other matches affected

Other Ligue 1 fixtures have also been altered: the home match of Toulouse against Troyes was moved from Saturday to Sunday at the request of local authorities. In addition, the stores of Olympique Marseille and Lille were temporarily closed due to acts of vandalism and looting, while the second‑division clash between Montpellier and Red Star was postponed to Monday.

Police postponement turns PSG‑Lyon clash into Ballon d’Or showdown

In Italy the authorities are on alert for the scheduled city protests, fearing repercussions on Serie A. The Naples Prefecture is closely monitoring the showdown between Massimo Allegri’s executives and Roma, set for Saturday at 18:00, but so far no postponement has been announced.