Champions League Final: Restaurateurs on the Champs-Élysées fear a drop in revenue despite security measures

Paris – 29.05.2026: Tensions are rising in Paris: on Saturday, May 30, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will face Arsenal in the Champions League final. While the city is preparing for this major sporting event and expecting many football fans as well as tourists, it is especially the restaurateurs located along the Champs-Élysées who are worried about a possible economic loss. The extensive security measures put in place to ensure a peaceful and smooth event could significantly disrupt business activities during what is usually a very lucrative evening.

Alexandre Bernard, president of the Union of Trades and Industries of Hospitality (UMIH) in Île-de-France, expressed his concerns in an interview with ICI Paris Île-de-France. He explained that several dozen restaurants on this famous avenue will be affected by the restrictions and might therefore remain closed. “Regardless of whether Paris wins or loses, the economic losses will be the same,” Bernard said. These closures will particularly affect the evening service, which is crucial for many establishments.

The Paris municipality has taken large-scale measures to prevent outbreaks and incidents. According to a report by Europe1, about 22,000 police officers and gendarmes will be deployed throughout France, including 8,000 just in Paris and its nearby suburbs. This includes the closure of certain metro stations and traffic restrictions in central areas.

However, these precautions result in more difficult access to the restaurants on the Champs-Élysées. Customers could be discouraged or prevented from coming because of roadblocks and police presence. Bernard emphasized that, despite the necessity of such measures, a balance must be found so as not to harm local businesses from the restaurateurs’ perspective.

The city hall states, for its part, that the safety of citizens and all participants is an absolute priority, while also taking economic interests into account. Nonetheless, the real impact on the restaurant sector remains uncertain and will only be fully assessed after the match.

The Champions League final poses the challenge for Paris of ensuring both a secure experience at the stadium and peaceful celebrations, while supporting the local economy, particularly restaurant activities. The coming days and weeks will reveal the effectiveness of managing these tensions and the lessons to be learned for future major events.

Overall, this football event is not only a major sporting moment but also a significant test for urban development, security planning, and the economic cohesion of Parisian local communities.