French cities impose World Cup curfews for under-16s after Champions League unrest

Authorities in the French city of Toulouse on Thursday announced a curfew for under-16s during "high-risk" World Cup matches, after unrest marred celebrations of the recent Paris Saint-Germain Champions League victory.

The curfew will be in force from 10pm to 5am for minors under 16 unaccompanied by an adult in a central area of the southwestern city, centre-right Mayor Jean-Luc Moudenc told a press briefing.

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

The matches deemed to present a security risk are those involving France, as well as games played by Morocco against Brazil, Scotland and Haiti, and a match between Tunisia and the Netherlands.

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

Police arrested 890 people across the country after the overnight celebrations were marred by violent clashes and a road accident that killed a young man. On May 30, 2026, disturbances broke out at the Place du Trocadéro in Paris following PSG's victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final.

The measure is intended to "protect citizens and minors", Moudenc said, arguing that there was a rise in juvenile delinquency in France's fourth-largest city.

The mayor of the central city of Clermont-Ferrand announced a similar rule for under-16s earlier this week.

France plays their first World Cup match on Tuesday against Senegal.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)