(24 May 2016) French authorities plan to impose 24-hour alcohol bans in the centre of Lens when the city hosts European football championships and ticketless fans are being urged to stay away from the small northern city, British police said on Tuesday.
Lens will stage four games next month, including the British derby between England and Wales in Group B.
Northern Ireland has also qualified for the tournament so there will be a British police presence across France to assist their French counterparts in Lens and other Euro 2016 host cities.
The alcohol ban will run for 24 hours in Lens from 6 a.m. on June 16 for England-Wales.
Alcohol will be sold in the stadium but not in bars and stores in the centre.
Assistant chief constable Mark Roberts, who leads football policing in Britain, said other cities across France could restrict the sale of alcohol.
But there are fears about Lens being overwhelmed by ticketless fans because the city has a population of 32,000 while the Stade Bollaert-Delelis has a capacity of 35,000.
Roberts asked fans without a ticket not to travel.
Another potential flashpoint is the England's game against Russia in Marseille following fan disorder there during the 1998 World Cup.
But Roberts stressed that "undoubtedly there will be a massive police cooperation around that particular fixture."
Around 250,000 tickets have been sold for the tournament to Britons but police expect between 300,000 and 500,000 to travel to France.


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