London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026

Champions League final: UK calls for investigation into Paris stadium chaos

Champions League final: UK calls for investigation into Paris stadium chaos

The UK's culture secretary has urged Uefa to formally investigate "deeply concerning" scenes which delayed the start of the Champions League final.

French police have been criticised for firing tear gas and pepper spray at some Liverpool fans waiting to get in to the stadium in Paris on Saturday.

Nadine Dorries said it was in everyone's interest to "learn lessons".

European football's governing body Uefa has said it will "review these matters urgently".

The French sports ministry has called a meeting with Uefa, the French Football Association, stadium officials and police on Monday to "draw lessons" from the event.

French interior minister Gérald Darmanin appeared to lay the blame on British supporters, tweeting on Saturday that thousands were without proper tickets and had forced entry, while claiming some had assaulted stewards.

The kick-off at the Stade de France was delayed by 36 minutes, with Uefa initially citing the "late arrival" of fans.

But many Liverpool supporters spoke of long queues in the hours leading up to the game and a heavy-handed police response to the build-up of fans.

Uefa later put the delay down to "security reasons" and said the turnstiles at the Liverpool end had become "blocked by thousands of fans who had purchased fake tickets which did not work".

Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 in the final.

Tom Whitehurst said after arriving at the ground, he had to get his disabled son "out of the way" after they were pepper-sprayed.

"The treatment of supporters by Uefa and the police was an absolute disgrace," he said.

"[Fans] were indiscriminately pepper-sprayed and there were people with tickets, who arrived two-and-a-half hours early, who were queuing up and they were charged at by riot police with shields."

Merseyside Police said its officers who were deployed in Paris and attended the match "reported the vast majority of fans behaved in an exemplary manner, arriving at turnstiles early and queuing as directed".

Paris police said they made 105 arrests at the game, with 39 people still in custody.

Witnesses said crowds were targeted with tear gas as they waited to get into the stadium


Liverpool fan Michael Carter told the BBC that families and children were among those being pepper sprayed, with no explanation from officials.

"We're throwing water on the kids trying to get the spray off them, we're running to a bar getting glasses of water... and then we put it on ourselves because we couldn't breathe," he said.

Elsewhere, he said people were lifting each other over the walls as they were being crushed.

Near the stadium's entrance, he said "the atmosphere just turned - all of our lads were like 'I don't care about the result' - we just felt unsafe".

"I was scared I wasn't even going to make it into the game," he said.

Liverpool FC also called for an investigation into the event, and said they would be asking fans to contact them directly with their experiences.

Speaking after the game, Liverpool defender Andy Robertson said he had given a ticket to a friend who was then denied entry.

He said his friend "got told it was a fake, which I assure you it wasn't".

"It was a shambles really."

Meanwhile, Suzanne, from Liverpool, said her experience at the game was "really traumatic".

"The way this event was being policed was all wrong and incredibly dangerous," she said, describing being sent through an underpass into a "complete bottleneck".

Her sister was searched eight times, but once they arrived in the stadium two hours before kick off she said the Liverpool side was empty.
Suzanne and her sister said they didn't feel safe at the game


She and her sister decided to leave just before full time, saying: "We didn't feel safe. We ran all the way to the station... there was tear gas everywhere, your throat was so sore and your eyes hurt."

Several people, including Suzanne and former Liverpool defender Jim Beglin, also said groups of locals were mugging fans after they left the stadium.

Ms Dorries, who runs the government department in charge of UK sport, said: "The footage and accounts from Liverpool fans and the media on their entry to the Stade de France last night are deeply concerning.

"Thousands of ticket holders travelled to Paris in good time to support their team in the biggest match of their season.

"I urge Uefa to launch a formal investigation into what went wrong and why, in coordination with stadium staff, the French Police, Federation Francaise de Football, Merseyside Police and Liverpool Football Club."


WATCH: Liverpool fans were tear gassed by police ahead of the Champions League Final


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Face Upward Pressure as Global Oil Trends Raise Cost Outlook
Girlguiding UK Sets September Deadline for Membership Policy Change Affecting Trans Participants
Germany and UK Accelerate Wind Power Expansion to Strengthen Energy Security
UK Moves to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations to Political Parties Over Foreign Influence Concerns
UK and Turkey Finalise Major Air Defence Agreement Worth Billions
Apple Introduces Mandatory Age Verification for iPhone Users in the UK
Diverging Views Emerge Over Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance
Trump Signals Frustration with UK Leadership Amid Diverging Approaches to Iran Conflict
UK Government Takes Control of Hunterston B as Landmark Nuclear Decommissioning Begins
UK Public Inflation Expectations Jump Sharply in March, Raising Pressure on Bank of England
UK Ministers Warn Expanded North Sea Drilling Would Deepen Exposure to Global Energy Volatility
Delayed UK Defence Investment Plan Leaves Suppliers Under Severe Financial Strain
Can Iran Strike the UK? Assessing the Real Military Threat as Conflict Escalates
Sanctioned Iranian Banker Linked to Luxury Marbella Villa Through UK Corporate Structure
Casey Bloys Navigates HBO Max UK Launch, Paramount Integration and Industry Buzz Over Netflix Meeting
Iran Conflict Sparks Sharp Turbulence in UK Mortgage Market, Reaching Pandemic-Era Disruption Levels
Major Donor Urges University of Kentucky to Reconsider Mitch Barnhart’s Post-Retirement Role
United Kingdom Moves to Lead International Effort to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
UK Police Investigate Targeted Attack on Jewish Ambulance Vehicles
UK Police Investigate Targeted Attack on Jewish Ambulance Vehicles
Senior UK Advocate Criticises Barnhart Retirement Appointment, Calls for Reconsideration
UK Finds No Evidence of Direct Iranian Threat to Britain, Says Prime Minister Starmer
Assessing Iran’s Strike Capability and the UK’s Readiness Amid Rising Tensions
NATO Unable to Confirm Iran’s Role in Strike on UK-US Base as Tehran Denies Involvement
University of Kentucky’s Youling Xiong Receives SEC Faculty Achievement Award for 2026
Trump Highlights Satirical Portrayal of UK Leadership Amid Talks with Prime Minister Starmer on Iran Conflict
Trump Highlights Satirical Portrayal of UK Leadership Amid Talks with Prime Minister Starmer on Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Surge Toward Crisis Levels as Experts Warn of Further Sharp Increases
UK Fuel Prices Surge Toward Crisis Levels as Experts Warn of Further Sharp Increases
Duchess of Sussex Secures ‘As Ever’ Trademark Rights in Australia Ahead of High-Profile Visit
UK Reaffirms Security as Officials Reject Claims of Immediate Iranian Missile Threat
Rising Middle East Tensions Spark ‘Trumpflation’ Debate Over Impact on UK Households
UK Minister Says No Evidence Iran Can Strike Europe Despite Heightened Warnings
British-Iranians Voice Safety Concerns to Authorities as Regional Conflict Intensifies
Confirmed Meningitis Cases Linked to Kent Outbreak Revised Down to Twenty
UK Government Sees No Evidence Iran Can Strike London Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Debate Grows Over Recognition of Indigenous Cultural Icons in the United Kingdom
Iran Missile Launch Toward Diego Garcia Raises Questions After Failed Strike on US–UK Base
Donald Trump Amplifies Viral Satirical Clip Highlighting UK–US Political Dynamics
UK Satirical Show Draws Attention with Sketch Referencing Trump and Prince Andrew
Meghan Markle’s Possible UK Return Sparks Renewed Attention on Sussex Role
Starmer Convenes Urgent Talks on Cost-of-Living Pressures Linked to Iran Conflict
Starmer Convenes Urgent Talks on Cost-of-Living Pressures Linked to Iran Conflict
UK Investors Eye Bargain Shares Ahead of ISA Deadline Amid Market Volatility
UK Investors Eye Bargain Shares Ahead of ISA Deadline Amid Market Volatility
×