PSG victory sparks chaos in Paris: Riots and mass arrests reported
Photo: street unrest in Paris after PSG victory (screenshot)
Paris was engulfed by mass unrest following the historic victory of football club PSG in the Champions League final. What began as fans' celebrations quickly escalated into violent clashes with law enforcement on the main streets of the French capital, according to Deutsche Welle.
Football fans flooded the iconic Champs-Élysées immediately after the final whistle. While the players were celebrating in Hungary, full-scale street clashes began in Paris.
The French Interior Ministry has already released initial figures: at least 326 people were detained nationwide. The majority of arrests took place in the capital, where 235 people were taken into custody.
Play Video
The situation escalated even during the match. Tensions erupted when Arsenal took the lead in the penalty shootout. Around 20,000 people gathered on the Champs-Élysées. The crowd began uncontrollably setting off fireworks and signal flares.
The epicenter of unrest was not limited to the city center. Near the Parc des Princes stadium, PSG’s home ground, more than 1,000 fans gathered. Rioters began building barricades from shared city bicycles and setting them on fire.
Also, hooligans smashed a bakery and a restaurant near the stadium. The crowd even managed to temporarily block the Périphérique — the main ring road around Paris. Police were forced to use force to restore traffic flow.
Law enforcement had prepared for the celebrations in advance. Around 22,000 police officers were deployed to the streets. Authorities aimed to avoid tragedies similar to last year. At that time, PSG’s victory celebrations over Inter ended in tragedy. More than 500 people were arrested nationwide, and two people were killed during overnight unrest.
This time, police confiscated hundreds of pyrotechnic devices. Patrols continued through the night until morning. The situation in the city has now stabilized, but municipal services are still working to clear the aftermath of the riots.
What is known about the PSG vs Liverpool match
The Champions League final turned into a dramatic thriller with extra time and a penalty shootout. The French club managed to defend its title for the second consecutive year.
We also reported that all direct qualifiers for the 2026/27 Champions League have now been confirmed.
