Traveling fans banned from attending French league matches
PARIS --
All professional soccer matches scheduled this weekend in France will be played without traveling fans for security reasons following the Paris attacks.
The French league took the decision after its president, Frederic Thiriez, attended a meeting with France's anti-hooliganism body in the wake of the deadly events on Friday night in which at least 129 people died in a string of coordinated attacks.
Despite security concerns, French sports minister Patrick Kanner announced earlier Tuesday that all matches in both the topflight and second division will go ahead as planned.
Kanner said ''obviously the league took measures to secure all professional matches and the state will use its powers of policing to guarantee security.''
Monaco authorities have banned Anderlecht fans from entering the country ahead of a Europa League game next week.
The French league club, which hosts the Belgian side on Nov. 26, said the Principality's government took the decision for security reasons in the wake of the deadly attacks in Paris last week.
Monaco said UEFA and Anderlecht mutually agreed with the decision.
