Paris, October 23 (Albania Journal) – The Ligue 1 clash between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Olympique Lyonnais at the Parc des Princes has been postponed from Sunday to Monday following security concerns raised by police as Paris prepares for another weekend of protests, the French top flight announced on Friday.
The match will now take place on October 26, the same day as the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London. PSG players Ousmane Dembele, the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are among the contenders for this year’s award, although both are currently injured.
“The LFP acknowledges the order issued by the Prefecture of Police prohibiting the holding of the PSG-Lyon match … on Sunday, October 25, at 8:45 p.m., and has decided, in agreement with Ligue 1+, to reschedule the match for Monday, October 26, at 8:30 p.m.,” the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said in a statement.
Paris Prepares for Major Security Operation
French authorities are preparing a “massive” security operation for demonstrations planned on Saturday, with troops set to reinforce police forces, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday. The preparations follow rioting and looting that swept through Paris and other French cities on October 17.
Security arrangements are further complicated by Sunday’s NFL regular-season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints at the Stade de France. The event is expected to require a significant police deployment.
The game will be held in Saint-Denis, approximately 10 kilometres from Place de la Bastille, where the protests are expected to begin.
US President Donald Trump expressed concern about the NFL fixture in Paris on Friday.
“I would have said the NFL could have probably postponed that match if you want to know, because France is really in trouble,” he told reporters.
Earlier on Friday, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he believed the NFL would have cancelled its first regular-season game in Paris if the security situation had been unsafe.
Unrest Disrupts French Football Schedule
The ongoing unrest has already affected France’s domestic football calendar. Toulouse’s Ligue 1 home match against Troyes was moved from Saturday to Sunday at the request of local authorities.
Olympique de Marseille and Lille have also reported that their official club stores were looted during last weekend’s unrest.
The violence, among the worst France has experienced in years, followed weeks of largely peaceful student protests and broader demonstrations over the rising cost of living and declining public services.
PSG and Lyon Set for Key Ligue 1 Clash
Despite the postponement, Monday’s fixture remains an important encounter between two of Ligue 1’s leading teams.
Defending French and European champions PSG are second in the standings after seven matches, while Lyon lead the table with 14 points, ahead of PSG on goal difference.
The rescheduled match will take place at the Parc des Princes at 8:30 p.m. local time on Monday, October 26.
