Rabat – Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais could be postponed after Paris police asked the league to reschedule over ongoing security concerns across France.
According to French outlet L’Equipe, Parisian police authorities have formally asked the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) to reschedule Sunday’s match.
The request stems from heightened security concerns across France, which have stretched local law enforcement resources to the limit ahead of the match.
While no final decision has been confirmed by officials, reports suggest the fixture could be pushed to Monday.
League administrators are currently assessing whether moving the game back by 24 hours provides enough time to assemble adequate stadium security.
Following widespread rioting and looting in Paris and multiple major cities on October 17, the French government is mobilizing a major security response for upcoming weekend demonstrations.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed on Tuesday that military personnel will be deployed alongside police units to launch a massive security operation intended to maintain public order.
The matchup between PSG and Lyon is just one of several major sporting events scheduled across the capital region this weekend, compounding the pressure on local law enforcement.
Sunday’s NFL regular-season matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints at the Stade de France is set to proceed under high security, requiring an extensive police presence to secure the venue.
In a related scheduling change, the LFP announced Wednesday that Toulouse’s home fixture against Troyes has already been moved from Saturday to Sunday following a formal request from local authorities.
More than 500,000 people marched peacefully across France last weekend to protest rising living costs, but their message was overshadowed by the sudden surge in violence.
The widespread rallies came on the heels of weeks of student demonstrations that had already shuttered and disrupted schools nationwide.
