Tight security around Thursday night’s goalless Nations League draw between France and Israel in Paris prevented any major eruption of violence but a few brief clashes broke out in the stands.
Played under an extraordinary security presence, the encounter at the Stade de France highlighted the rising tensions over the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
With police forces on high alert, the 80,000-capacity stadium hosted fewer than 20,000 spectators—a stark contrast to the usual packed crowds for international fixtures.
Only around 100 Israeli fans attended the game, despite warnings from Israel’s National Security Council against travel to sporting or cultural events abroad. The warnings were prompted by last week’s violent attacks on Israeli fans in Amsterdam following a Ajax-Maccabi Tel Aviv match.
Around 10 minutes into Thursday’s international, a scuffle broke out between rival fans in the top section behind one of the goals.
Some Israeli flags were visible in the crowd during the altercation, though the cause of the clash remains unclear. Security quickly intervened and the situation was defused without further major incident.
However, tensions simmered throughout the match. The Israeli national anthem was met with loud whistling and players were jeered by some sections of the crowd when they had possession of the ball.
In response, a group of Israeli fans chanted “Israel, Israel” in defiance, attempting to rally support amid the charged atmosphere. The 0-0 draw, devoid of exciting football, seemed secondary to the politics and security issues at play.
Protestors hold flags and a banner reading "no to those committing genocide in Paris" (R) during a demonstration against the holding of the UEFA Nations League Group A2 football match between France and Israel prior to the start of the game, in Aubervilliers, in the northern outskirts of Paris, on November 14, 2024. The French team will host Israel in a very tense atmosphere on November 14, 2024, at the Stade de France, where an exceptional security presence has been put in place in the midst of the conflict in the Middle East, with tensions exacerbated by last week's violence on the sidelines of a Maccabi Tel-Aviv match in Amsterdam. (Photo by Ian LANGSDON / AFP) (Photo by IAN LANGSDON/AFP via Getty Images)
French authorities deployed around 4,000 officers and 1,500 additional security personnel to patrol the stadium and surrounding areas.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who attended the match alongside Prime Minister Michel Barnier and former presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, used the occasion to firmly denounce antisemitism. "We will not give in to antisemitism, anywhere," Macron said before the match, stressing that violence would not be tolerated on French soil.
Macron's presence, along with the appearance of key government figures, signalled France’s commitment to confronting hatred and violence, especially in the context of the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Political VIPs at the France-Israel game: (first row) France's President Emmanuel Macron (right) alongside French Football Federation President Philippe Diallo; (second row ) former French President Francois Hollande (left) and former French President Nicolas Sarkozy (Photo Getty Images)
Protests also took place outside the stadium, where several hundred pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered to voice their opposition to the match, waving Palestinian, Lebanese, and Algerian flags.
Despite the protests and heightened atmosphere, the game itself remained a subdued affair. As the match concluded, there was no immediate escalation of violence, unlike in Holland the week before.
For France and Israel, this appeared to be more than just a game— but a reflection of deep political tensions that no amount of football could easily resolve.
Thursday night’s Nations League match between France and Israel at the Stade de France ended in a goalless draw (Credit: Getty Images)
