France urges calm among fans during World Cup game against Morocco

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This combination of pictures created on July 07, 2026 shows France’s forward #10 Kylian Mbappe (R) celebrating scoring his team’s first goal with forward #07 Ousmane Dembele at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 30, 2026, and Morocco’s defender #14 Issa Diop celebrating scoring his team’s first goal with Morocco’s forward #09 Soufiane Rahimi at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe on June 29, 2026.. France and Morocco will meet in a 2026 World Cup quarter-final football match at Boston Stadium in Foxborough on July 9, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE and CARL DE SOUZA / AFP)

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France has urged its football fans to be responsible as their team prepares to face African champions Morocco on Thursday in a World Cup quarter-final, after previous high-profile matches led to unrest.

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Morocco won independence from France in 1956 and has a mostly settled relationship with the former colonial power, which is home to hundreds of thousands of Moroccans or French citizens of Moroccan descent.

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Several members of Morocco’s national team this year were born in France and play for French clubs.

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Team captain Achraf Hakimi was born in Spain but plays for Paris Saint-Germain.

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Celebrations were mostly peaceful when France beat Morocco in the 2022 World Cup semi-final.

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But security forces are to be on alert around France during the game from 10:00 pm (20:00 GMT) on Thursday.

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“I appeal to everyone’s sense of responsibility. It has to remain a celebration,” Sports Minister Marina Ferrari told the France Info broadcaster.

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Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has said “no misconduct would be tolerated”.

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French authorities arrested more than 280 people in Paris over unrest and damage after PSG emerged victorious against Arsenal in the Champions League final on May 30.

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AFP

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