The highly anticipated Ligue 1 showdown between Olympique de Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain, originally scheduled for Sunday, September 21 at 8:45 p.m. at the Orange Vélodrome, has been officially postponed. Torrential rain and severe storm warnings across the Marseille region prompted local authorities to delay the fixture by 24 hours. The match will now take place on Monday, September 22 at 8:00 p.m.
The decision, confirmed by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), comes amid an orange-level weather alert issued by Météo-France. Forecasts warned of potential urban flooding and rainfall exceeding 100mm in just a few hours, raising serious safety concerns for both players and the 65,000 fans expected to attend.
“The pitch would not have been playable, and the risk to public safety was too high,” said Georges-François Leclerc, prefect of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. “We had to act responsibly.”
Social media quickly reacted to the announcement, with major football outlet Foot Africa tweeting: “Olympique Marseille vs PSG has been suspended due to bad weather!” alongside a storm emoji, capturing the mood of a frustrated fanbase.
This postponement adds a layer of complexity for PSG, whose players are also expected to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday evening. Eight squad members, including Ousmane Dembélé and Vitinha, are nominated across various categories, forcing the club to juggle logistics between Paris and Marseille.
On the sporting front, PSG enters the fixture with four wins from four and a 51% win probability, while Marseille, with two wins and two losses, will be looking to capitalize on home advantage despite the disruption. The rescheduled Classique remains one of the most watched fixtures in French football, and fans will be hoping for calmer skies and a fiery contest on the pitch.
