France Police Detain 780 After PSG Champions League Win Clashes With Arsenal Fans

Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final victory over Arsenal in Budapest triggered violent clashes across France, with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez saying 780 people were detained in Paris and other cities and that 57 officers were wounded.

“PSG fans go wild after Champions League win Police in France have detained more than 280 people in Paris after violent clashes erupted when thousands poured onto the streets after Paris Saint-Germain’s victory in the Champions League final”

Al Jazeera

Nuñez told a news conference that “the situation has been largely brought under control,” as fans set off fires and vandalized shops overnight and police worked to contain crowds near the Champs-Elysées and close to the Parc des Princes stadium.

Al Jazeera

The unrest followed celebrations after the final whistle on Saturday night in Budapest, where PSG were crowned Champions League winners after beating Arsenal in a dramatic penalty shootout.

French Interior Ministry figures cited by DW said at least 326 people were arrested nationwide, with 235 taken into custody in Paris, after riots reportedly began earlier when Arsenal had taken a lead against PSG on penalties.

AP reported that planned celebrations for Sunday at the Champ de Mars near the Eiffel Tower went ahead as scheduled, with up to 100,000 supporters expected under high security measures.

Nuñez condemned the chaos as “absolutely unacceptable,” while also warning that police would respond with “firmness and determination” to any potential violence during the planned Sunday return celebrations.

Marine Le Pen framed the unrest as uniquely French, writing “only in France does a football club’s victory spark riots,” and adding “Only in France does everyone feel compelled to lock themselves in their homes on a night of victory to avoid being confronted with violence.”

AP News

AP said Macron appealed for an end to violence at the Elysee ceremony, telling the crowd, “I don’t want that we get used to it,” and “This is not soccer, this is not sport, this is not what we love.”

DW reported that Le Pen said “only in France does the victory of a football club spark riots,” and also noted she has been banned from political office and is seeking to overturn last year’s ruling.

Euronews said French authorities reported police had questioned hundreds of people and detained 457 following violence that disrupted celebrations late Saturday, including a group that tried to storm a police station in the French capital.

With the violence tied to PSG’s second Champions League title victory, French authorities said planned celebrations for Sunday afternoon at the Champ de Mars near the Eiffel Tower were set to go ahead as scheduled.

“Topic:Sport Sun 31 May 2026 at 11:47am Almost 800 people have been detained after violent riots erupted across France following Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League title win”

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

AP said PSG players were hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee presidential palace after returning from Budapest late, and that the team was then set to be received by Macron as crowds gathered under high security measures.

Nuñez said police intervened five times overnight to prevent people from blocking traffic on the main ring road around Paris, and he also described incidents in about 15 cities in France.

The Paris prosecutors’ office said 306 people had been formally taken into police custody, including 81 minors, for alleged offences, while AP reported that most were for assault of police officers and that other allegations included theft, vandalism and disturbing the public order.

DW added that police hope to prevent a repeat of last year’s deadly unrest, noting that over 500 people were arrested across France and two people died last year as celebrations broke out following PSG’s earlier Champions League win over Inter Milan.