Two French cities impose curfews for under-16s during World Cup

Authorities in the southern French city of Toulouse have announced a curfew for the under-16s during "high-risk" World Cup matches.

It will be enforced "judiciously from 10pm to 5am, for minors under 16 who are not accompanied by an adult... within a defined area of central Toulouse", the city's mayor, Jean-Luc Moudenc, told a news conference on Thursday.

The measure will apply only to "a certain number of matches that we have selected with the prefecture, because we considered them to be high risk", he said.

The curfew will be in force on the nights of France matches, as well as Brazil-Morocco, Scotland-Morocco, Morocco-Haiti and Tunisia-Netherlands. The first match concerned is France-Senegal on 16 June.

Moudenc justified the move by the unrest and damage that occurred in Toulouse and other cities following the Champions League final on 30 May.

Police arrested nearly 900 people across the country after the overnight celebrations were marred by violent clashes and a road accident that killed a young man.

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Protecting minors

Moudenc, a conservative formerly with the right-wing Republicans party (LR), said the damage cost the city €45,000 and argued that the curfew would help "protect citizens and minors" at a time when juvenile delinquency in France's fourth-largest city was on the rise.

His decision follows that of Clermont-Ferrand in central France, whose right-wing mayor Julien Bony announced on Tuesday that his city council would impose a similar measure for the entire tournament.

The curfew will apply to unaccompanied minors from 11pm to 7am in the centre of Clermont-Ferrand. Those who break the rules could face fines of €150.

"It is first and foremost a measure to protect minors, because we consider that they put themselves in danger when they take part in this kind of event," the city hall said. It put the cost of damage linked to the Champions League weekend at €45,000.

Bony, a member of LR, took over as mayor in March this year, ending 80 years of Socialist rule.

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'Pointless'

The measure has drawn criticism in both cities.
The main opposition figure in Toulouse, François Piquemal, condemned the initiative, while Clermont's former Socialist mayor Olivier Bianchi described it as a "security obsession".

A similar measure was introduced in Limoges in the summer of 2025 by then mayor Émile Roger Lombertie, who has since questioned whether such curfews work.

"Once police resources fall short, it's pointless. You can't enforce it without strengthening the rest of the chain; I found myself with no solution because there were no reinforcements," he told local newspaper La Montagne.

(with newswires)