French prefecture bans a football event over Salafism concerns

The Hauts-de-Seine prefecture has prohibited a weekend event scheduled for July 4 and 5, 2026, initiated by AMFAR Développement. This event, which was to feature a football tournament and other activities led by the Association of Muslims of Fontenay-aux-Roses (AMFAR), faced the ban. According to Le Figaro, Prefect Alexandre Brugère cited «administrative issues» as the reason. In an initial statement, the NGO claimed that «all necessary measures for organizing and securing the event had been put in place», but «administrative errors» were the cause of its cancellation.

The same source indicates that officially, the prefect stated that the communication regarding the event «was made too late and not through official channels to his services». Unofficially, the association «is well known to state services for spreading an ideology close to Salafism», as reported, framing the cancellation within the prefect's «policy to combat Islamism and communal separatism».

Media outlets highlighted flyers promoting a «100% women» barbecue and a «sisters-only area», implying gender segregation. In a follow-up statement, AMFAR emphasized that «the administrative errors that occurred during the file handling by a municipal department» exposed «a lack of support in following up the procedures required to organize this event».

«The difficulties encountered should not be interpreted as opposition from the municipality to our association or its projects», the NGO clarified. Beyond this event, the organization operates a prayer room that has attracted scrutiny from French authorities due to radical remarks by an imam. In late 2017, the site was subject to an administrative closure order for «incitement to hatred or violence».