France bans Olympiacos fans from Marseille Europa League match on 15 October
French authorities have barred Olympiacos supporters from the Stade Vélodrome for Thursday, 15 October, and the Greek club is protesting to UEFA over a decree published on Tuesday, 13 October.
The ban
French authorities have barred Olympiacos supporters from the Stade Vélodrome for the club's away match against Marseille, the second League Phase matchday of the Europa League, scheduled for Thursday, 15 October at 22:00. A decree signed on Monday, 12 October by deputy police director Corinne Simon and published on Tuesday, 13 October prohibits anyone who claims to be an Olympiacos or Red Star Belgrade fan, or behaves as one, from entering the stadium. The order also bars them from parking and moving on public roads in the centre of Marseille and around the ground. The visitors' section is expected to be almost empty on Thursday evening. Before the ban, about 3,500 Olympiacos supporters had been expected to travel, according to NEWS 24/7.
- Sevilla fan ban three days before Lens match, suspended by a court on matchday
- Decree banning Olympiacos fans signed by deputy police director Corinne Simon
- Decree published and Olympiacos PAE issues protest statement
- Strike action planned in Marseille, also planned for Thursday, 15 October
- Europa League match Marseille vs Olympiacos scheduled at the Stade Vélodrome
Club response
Olympiacos PAE said in a statement that it had been informed officially only at the last minute, after it learned of the French intention on 12 October through unofficial channels. The club said none of its earlier contacts with Marseille, UEFA or the local police had raised a ban, not even as a possibility. It sent protest letters to UEFA and Marseille, and according to the club, UEFA also raised the matter with the French authorities. The club accepts that the room for intervention is limited when authorities cite public order and security, but its statement focused on the timing of the decision.
We acknowledge that when the competent authorities of a country take decisions citing public order and security reasons, the room for intervention by a club or even by UEFA is limited, but we condemn the delay with which this decision, taken unacceptably at the last minute, is putting our supporters to expense and inconvenience, while people are already travelling or have travelled to Marseille!
The club asked UEFA to investigate how fans who suffered the disruption would be compensated. It also raised the question of protecting the safety of supporters who are in Marseille or will go there.
Precedent and strike context
The club said it hoped the delay did not follow a precedent from December 2023, before the Champions League match between Lens and Sevilla. At that time, French authorities banned Sevilla supporters three days before the match, although about 400 Sevilla fans had already obtained tickets. Sevilla appealed to the Conseil d'État, and the ban was suspended by a court on matchday. The club wrote that there is now no time for a similar response.
Separately, NewsIT reported on 12 October that strike actions had been announced in Marseille for Wednesday, 14 October and Thursday, 15 October. Local police said increased operational readiness was required. The same report mentioned a rumour of a request to keep fans of both clubs out of the stands, but nothing had been confirmed officially. It added that UEFA and the French authorities knew in advance that the strikes would take place.
What happens next
The match is scheduled for Thursday, 15 October at 22:00 at the Stade Vélodrome. The sources do not report an appeal against the decree. Olympiacos's protest to UEFA is pending, and the club wants the compensation question examined. No source reports an outcome of the protest so far.
