Dembele to miss Ballon d’Or event as PSG game moved amid protests in France

Ousmane Dembele will miss Monday's Ballon d'Or awards ceremony in London after Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 clash with Lyon was postponed amid France's wave of violent protests.

The French league (LFP) announced on Friday that the game, scheduled for Sunday at 8:45pm local time, would instead be played on Monday at 8:30pm after police ordered it called off. The new date directly clashes with the Ballon d'Or gala, where Dembele — the reigning winner — had been among the favourites to retain the trophy.

The 29-year-old France international helped his country reach the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup and led PSG's successful defence of the UEFA Champions League crown. He is one of ten PSG players on the men's shortlist, alongside Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Willian Pacho, Fabian Ruiz and Ferran Torres.

Sunday's fixture was a top-of-the-table clash, with defending champions PSG and Lyon level on 14 points heading into the eighth round of Ligue 1.

French authorities are braced for another weekend of protests in Paris and across the country after some of the worst urban violence in years erupted a week ago. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said a "massive" security operation is planned for Saturday, with troops reinforcing police, following rioting and looting on October 17.

The Pittsburgh Steelers' NFL game against the New Orleans Saints at the Stade de France on Sunday will also need a significant police presence, while Toulouse's Ligue 1 match against Troyes was moved from Saturday to Sunday.