Sevilla fans traveling to France can now enter the Lens stadium for a Champions League match, following a ruling by France’s Council of State on Tuesday that overruled a travel ban previously imposed on supporters.
The decision came after a decree from the Ministry of the Interior and another order from the Pas de Calais prefecture addressing the suspension of the ban and its implementation.
In addition, the highest body handling administrative cases in France confirmed that the State must provide compensation to Sevilla FC and others, totaling 3,000 euros in the decision.
The travel ban on Sevilla supporters near Lens has effectively been lifted. The Pas de Calais prefecture’s decree described the measure as a security precaution that, in practice, was unusual within the European Union context.
The order previously prohibited Sevilla supporters or individuals seen as affiliated with them from accessing various parts of the city of Lens and its surroundings.
Under the initial order, Sevilla fans faced potential imprisonment and fines up to 30,000 euros.
The Spanish Embassy in France acknowledged the decision as a source of anxiety due to its impact on citizens and on Sevilla’s management, though it welcomed the move toward easing restrictions.
The French government’s decision formed part of broader measures aimed at curbing violence in French football, a cycle that intensified after a fatal incident involving a Nantes supporter during a match against Nice on December 2 of the previous year.
The measure affected several clubs besides Lens, including Girondins de Bordeaux, Nimes, Auxerre, Nantes, Olympique Lyon, Reims, and Olympique de Marseille, highlighting the broad concern about fan conduct across the league.
Fan violence in football is not unfamiliar, and in recent months some Sevilla ultras have been at the center of controversy. Prior incidents have raised questions about security and crowd management in European football.
During the Europa League final last June in Budapest, Sevilla and Roma supporters clashed, though UEFA disciplinary proceedings did not sanction Sevilla to the extent seen with Roma. In September, ultras from Sevilla and Lens clashed shortly before a match, an incident that Spanish police reportedly halted before it escalated.
On October 25, clashes involving Arsenal and Sevilla fans occurred near the Sánchez Pizjuán stadium after a group-stage clash in the Champions League’s third matchday, with Arsenal securing a 2-1 victory.
The ongoing case was described as unprecedented within the European Union’s framework on freedom of movement, raising questions about how fan safety and civil rights intersect across borders.
Sevilla later referred to UEFA, arguing that measures restricting fans from traveling could infringe on the rights of Europeans, including Spaniards, according to statements from Sevilla’s leadership.
The incident recalls historic moments, such as the Belgian government’s 1985 decision to ban English club matches in Belgium until security guarantees were provided, a measure that reflected the era’s concerns about crowd safety. In 2018, the United Kingdom barred numerous ultras from attending the World Cup in Russia to prevent violence, and similar restrictions accompanied later events. During the Qatar World Cup in 2022, UK authorities again restricted a sizable number of fans from traveling in connection with security concerns surrounding the tournament.