With just 16,611 attendees, 800 Israeli fans defy travel warning, seated in a corner of the stadium
The UEFA Nations League match between France and Israel at the Stade de France was marked by low attendance, with only 16,611 spectators in the 80,000-capacity stadium.
The event was briefly marred by crowd tensions, as Israel’s national anthem was met with loud booing. In response, security was heightened, with 4,000 police officers and 1,600 security personnel, including riot police, deployed at the venue. Despite these tensions, the game proceeded without major incidents of violence. French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Michel Barnier were in attendance.
The low turnout followed recent pro-Palestinian protests in Amsterdam, where clashes occurred. Only a small number of Israeli fans were present at the game, with around 100 defying travel warnings to attend. They held yellow balloons and chanted, “Free the Hostages,” referencing Israelis held by Hamas in Gaza.
Meanwhile, a pro-Palestinian protest took place two kilometers away from the stadium near the Front Populaire Métro station in St-Denis. The demonstration, involving several hundred participants, was dispersed by riot police as it approached the stadium.
Éric Coquerel, a left-wing MP from France Unbowed, criticized the French government’s handling of the match, accusing President Macron of enabling Israeli military actions in Gaza by attending the game. Macron’s attendance drew criticism amid strained relations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as Macron’s recent statements on alleged “barbarism” in Gaza and Lebanon caused frustration among France’s Jewish communities.
The game ended in a goalless draw, advancing France to the Nations League quarter-finals.
In Amsterdam, pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with authorities despite a ban on demonstrations following violent incidents linked to a football match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Protesters waved Palestinian flags and chanted anti-genocide slogans before being detained by riot police.
Israel’s UEFA Membership and Criticism
Israel joined UEFA as an associate member in 1992 and became a full member in 1994, following its expulsion from the Asian Football Confederation in 1974. This decision came after growing tensions in the region.
Calls to expel Israel from FIFA, akin to the ban on apartheid-era South Africa, have intensified due to accusations of apartheid policies and alleged violations of international law. A 2022 UN report recognized Israel’s actions in Palestinian territories as apartheid. Since Israel’s military invasion of Gaza on October 7, 2023, the humanitarian crisis has worsened, with reports of over 43,500 Palestinian deaths and widespread destruction.
Israel faces ongoing allegations of war crimes and genocide, with the International Court of Justice reviewing its actions in Gaza. UN data indicates that over 80% of civilian casualties in Gaza result from Israeli airstrikes on residential areas.