According to Spanish newspaper AS, police are expecting large crowds of both French and Moroccan fans in Paris before, during and after the match. A special security operation has therefore been launched and the match is classified as high-risk. Police have called in extra resources, the city will be monitored from the air with drones and all fireworks and pyrotechnics will be banned.
The police measures will also be visible in the cityscape. The Champs-Élysées has been cordoned off, shopkeepers will barricade their premises to prevent looting, and several metro stations will be closed.
French police have learned the hard way what a football match can mean for security. After France knocked out Morocco in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, riots broke out in which more than 250 people were arrested, and when Paris Saint-Germain defeated Arsenal in the Champions League final last spring, things got even worse. Hundreds of people were injured and around 900 people were arrested across the country, according to The Athletic.
