Khaberni - The French authorities in the capital, Paris, have issued orders to ban fan gatherings on the Champs-Elysées concurrent with the African Nations Cup 2025 final in Morocco.
The 35th edition of the Africa Cup concludes tonight with the final match between the host country Morocco and Senegal at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat at 22:00 Mecca and Doha time, 20:00 Paris time, 19:00 local time in Morocco.
The French newspaper "L'Equipe" reported that the Paris prefecture has decided to ban fan gatherings on the Champs-Elysées, and also to prohibit the use of fireworks and pyrotechnic devices.
The newspaper explained that these measures aim to prevent any "potential" overruns in the city and will come into effect two hours before the kickoff of the final match, and will remain in effect until 2:00 a.m. on the following day (Monday), local time.
The Paris prefecture's decree states, “Gatherings of people who are considered to be supporters of the teams participating in the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 or who act on this basis, within the range extending from the Louvre Museum to the Porte de Maillot is prohibited."
The prefecture justified its decision by stating that the aforementioned area is “a major and symbolic tourist area, experiencing a high density of visitors and tourists”.
It also expressed concern about the possibility of what it described as "serious risks before, during, and after the match," noting that "previous editions of the Africa Cup, especially during the knockout and final stages, witnessed overruns and acts of public property vandalism, leading to the arrest of dozens."
Meanwhile, those present in the areas of Seine-Saint-Denis and Montreuil in Paris will be able to watch the final match on giant screens specifically installed for the occasion, according to the French newspaper "Le Parisien".
Matches will be available for the residents of Saint-Denis in the Auguste-Delon Sports Hall, while residents of Montreuil will watch in the Arthur Ashe Sports Center.
The Moroccan team reached the final of the Africa Cup after a hard-fought win in the semi-final against Nigeria, 4-3 on penalties after the match, which lasted 120 minutes, ended in a goalless draw.
The Senegal team was the first to reach the final, following a tough victory also over its counterpart Egypt in the first semi-final with a goal scored by their star Sadio Mané.
