Kembali
With ongoing protests in France, combined with the scheduled NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints in Paris, a Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon was rescheduled from Sunday to Monday night.
The move was requested by local police, citing security concerns and resources that will be stretched thin over the weekend. Police have been dealing with unrest after some high-profile PSG matches, with PSG and Lyon currently tied on points atop the league standings.
Ligue 1 released a statement confirming that the police request to change the date of the game was made official.
The switch to Monday puts the match in direct competition to the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London and could prevent nominated PSG players from attending.
French citizens have been taking part in ongoing demonstrations against the high cost of living while bringing attention to poor conditions in public schools along with teacher shortages. At least one estimate said as many as 800,000 people marched in protest last weekend.
The Steelers and Saints are scheduled to play in the first-ever NFL game in France. The league said last week that despite the protests, the game will be played.
"Preparations continue as scheduled for NFL events and the game at Stade de France next Sunday," the NFL said in a statement. "We continue to work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters. We are also providing the two clubs with regular updates. There's been no disruption or impact at league sites."
Stade de France is located just north of Paris in Saint-Denis, while PSG plays at Parc des Princes in the southwest part of the city and near landmarks like the Eiffel Tower.