Where will fans find designated fan zones across Île-de-France to watch the PSG-Arsenal match? The Champions League final is set for May 30th, and for the second year running, Paris will not feature any official fan zones. The police prefecture has expressed strong reservations, primarily due to three major concerts scheduled at the Stade de France, La Défense Arena, and Accor Arena, which will heavily strain law enforcement resources. Instead, a live screening of the match on a giant screen is planned at the Parc des Princes, with tickets available from 19 euros. Local bars and restaurants are also preparing for an influx of supporters. Across the broader Île-de-France area, managing celebrations around the match presents a formidable security puzzle.

Dialogue with prefectures underway

Official fan zones will be a rare sight for this highly anticipated final. Currently, none have been announced in Hauts-de-Seine, where Prefect Alexandre Brugère has explicitly advised mayors against organizing them, emphasizing the need for police forces to concentrate on Paris. In Seine-Saint-Denis, discussions are ongoing between the prefecture and local mayors. Bally Bagayoko, Mayor of Saint-Denis, stated on May 14th via his social media that his municipality seeks “guarantees from the prefecture regarding security measures that would enable us to safely host fan zones.” He also acknowledged “the desire of community organizations to propose popular, citizen-led fan zones,” which he intends to support, provided adequate security can be ensured.

Despite the challenges, some fan zones are slated for Trappes and Carrière sous Poissy. Additionally, an event with a capacity for 8,000 attendees is planned at the Camp des Loges in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the historic home of PSG. This controlled, enclosed venue offers a more manageable security environment than public spaces, especially given France’s ongoing Vigipirate terror alert status. Organizing public events in open areas is “virtually impossible,” remarked Arnaud Péricard, Mayor of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. He believes this security concern extends beyond football, noting, “The Fête des Loges in Saint-Germain now has a cordoned-off perimeter with controlled access, whereas it used to be open to all.”

“This is a failure”

For Master Cyril Dubois, a legal representative for the Ultras Paris supporters’ collective, football celebrations should rightfully take place in the streets. “The fact that we can no longer create these popular events that bring people together without disorder, yes, that is a failure; but more importantly, we are not even trying to create fan zones in Paris anymore,” he lamented. The lawyer further pointed out, “I observed that for the semi-final, there were no fan zones either, yet we still couldn’t prevent troublemakers from causing disturbances.” In total, 127 individuals were arrested across the Parisian agglomeration following PSG’s semi-final victory against Bayern Munich. After last year’s final, a staggering 491 arrests were made, and tragically, two people lost their lives in Paris and Dax amidst the celebrations.