Ten years to the day after the attacks of November 13, 2015 in Paris and Saint-Denis, the French team will face Ukraine at the Parc des Princes, as part of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. This symbolically charged match will be held in the heart of the capital, near the places affected by the 2015 attacks, which led the authorities to slightly strengthen the security system around the meeting. Two elements explain this increased vigilance: the presence of the Ukrainian selection, which benefits from specific supervision during its travels due to the ongoing war with Russia, and the highly sensitive date of this meeting, marked by the planned tributes to the victims of the attacks.
According to RMC Sportthe French authorities and the French Football Federation (FFF) have planned stricter control at the entrance to the stadium, as well as an increased presence of security agents, in accordance with the instructions of Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. Around 45,000 spectators are expected Thursday evening, including some Ukrainian supporters. If the UEFA calendar made a change of date almost impossible, the FFF chose to make this match an opportunity for national meditation and remembrance, ten years after the tragedy that occurred when France was already facing Germany at the Stade de France.
