Will PSG’s 10 nominated players be forced to miss the Ballon d’Or? Why Sunday’s clash in Lyon is being rescheduled to coincide with the same night

PSG’s center Khvich Kvaratskhelia is helped off the field by team staff after suffering an injury during the Champions League opening soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona in Paris, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Could the sudden security delay force Paris Saint-Germain’s brightest stars to watch their own Ballon d’Or crowning from the basement?A last-minute police order in Paris created a bizarre logistical crisis, moving PSG’s high-stakes Ligue 1 clash against Lyon to Monday night, putting it in direct, excruciating bottleneck with the football awards ceremony in London. While the club’s fit nominees face a stern professional ultimatum to stay in France, the recent spate of injuries has created an ironic twist that potentially clears the way for the team’s sidelined superstars to take to the red carpet.

Why was PSG’s match with Lyon postponed?

Originally scheduled to host Lyon at the Parc des Princes on Sunday 25 October at 20:45 local time, Paris Saint-Germain will instead play on Monday 26 October at 20:30.The Liga de Football Professionnel (LFP) confirmed the move on Friday, saying it “takes note of the order issued by the police prefecture banning the PSG-Lyon match scheduled for McDonald’s Ligue 1 match 8 on Monday, October 25 at 20:45 and has decided, in agreement with October 2, match 1.+. 20:30.”This late change in planning comes as French authorities prepare for a major security operation at the weekend. Law enforcement resources were greatly strained by nationwide demonstrations following a wave of serious unrest on October 17, when rioting and looting swept through Paris and other major cities, causing extensive damage to public buildings and private businesses.

Riot police operate during civil unrest, a day after a national day of demonstrations against the cost of living and rising fuel prices, in Paris, France, October 18, 2026. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor

Compounding the strain on police resources is Sunday’s high-profile NFL regular-season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis — just ten kilometers from Place de la Bastille, where massive weekend protests are expected.As a result, France’s domestic sports program faced widespread disruption. Local authorities had earlier asked that Toulouse’s match against Troyes be moved from Saturday to Sunday, while both Marseille and Lille said their official club merchandise stores had been attacked and looted the previous weekend.Monday night’s rescheduled game brings massive sporting stakes to the pitch and brings together two of Ligue 1’s first-place finishers. Defending champions PSG and rivals Lyon sit top of the table on 14 points after seven games, with Lyon ahead strictly on goal difference.

The new date creates a Ballon d’Or dilemma

The match now overlaps with the Ballon d’Or London 2026 ceremony, which takes place at the London Palladium on 26 October. The awards ceremony was held in England for the first time, with Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal among those hoping to dethrone 2025 winner Ousmane Dembélé.PSG have a record 10 players on their men’s shortlist: Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz, João Neves, Willian Pacho and Ferran Torres. The club also has Warren Zaïre-Emery nominated for the Kopa Trophy, Matvey Safonov for the Yashin Trophy, Luis Enrique for Men’s Coach of the Year and PSG themselves for Men’s Club of the Year.For the players selected against Lyon, the schedule creates an obvious practical dilemma: the match in Paris clashes with the ceremony in London. The parties involved are likely to prioritize their club commitments, but it has not been officially confirmed which nominees will attend the gala, whether PSG will make individual arrangements or whether the players will miss the ceremony altogether.

Injured nominees may have another option

Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes were reported injured and ruled out of the Lyon match. This could make it easier for them to attend in London, although their travel plans have not been officially confirmed.The timing is particularly notable for Dembélé, who won the 2025 Ballon d’Or and is again among the nominees. His injury means he can take part without missing a game, unlike fit teammates whose presence could be required in Paris.

Last year offers a significant precedent

PSG faced a similar scheduling problem last season when heavy rain forced their Le Classique match against Marseille to be moved to Monday, coinciding with the Ballon d’Or ceremony where Dembélé won.Dembélé was fit and important to the team, but PSG management granted him special permission to miss the rescheduled game to attend the gala. His team-mates played without him and lost 1-0 to Marseille, making the decision an important decision on the pitch as well as an unforgettable moment in his career.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé receives the 2025 Men’s Ballon d’Or during the 69th Ballon d’Or ceremony at the Theater du Chatelet in Paris, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

The circumstances are different this year as Dembélé is reportedly injured and unavailable for the match in Lyon. He would not need the same exemption to leave the team for London if he is unable to play, while fit nominees could face a more difficult decision. Whether PSG will grant any exemptions and which players will ultimately participate remains unconfirmed.

What happens to the nominees now?

PSG’s fit nominees will likely have to consider their club commitments, while injured players may have more flexibility. Dembélé’s arrangement last year shows that the club can make an exception for the night of the main awards, but offers no guarantee that PSG will repeat the decision for other players.For now, the clash leaves the club teetering between a top-of-the-table Ligue 1 game and an awards ceremony with an unusually large share of his team. The final attendance picture will depend on PSG’s team plans, the fitness of the players and any decisions announced by the club or the organizers of the ceremony.