France’s multicultural suburbs face rising right‑wing tension after World Cup success

France’s 1998 World Cup victory, won by a multicultural team led by Zinedine Zidane, was hailed as a symbol of national unity and helped the government promote integration in the country’s disadvantaged suburbs. Yet social divisions persisted, and the 2022 World Cup match against Morocco sparked fears of unrest. Police in Paris deployed thousands of officers, closed the metro, restricted traffic and imposed a curfew for minors under 16, keeping incidents limited but underscoring lingering tensions.

The celebration of football success stands in stark contrast to the growing influence of the far‑right in French politics and the chronic inequalities in places such as Seine‑Saint‑Denis and other banlieues. Youth unrest, the death of an adolescent during the 2022 tournament and repeated episodes of violence have highlighted the challenges of integrating immigrant‑descendant communities and the political surge of parties like that of Jean‑Marie Le Pen.