FIFA 2026 | London faces heat of France's quarter-final win over Morocco in Boston
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "FIFA 2026 | London faces heat of France's quarter-final win over Morocco in Boston")
London's Edgware road saw riots erupt after France's win over Morocco in Boston Photograph: (AFP)
Riots erupt on London's Edgware Road after France beat Morocco 2-0; 1 cop hospitalised, 4 arrested. It follows chaos post England-Mexico win too, with 42 arrests, hate crimes reported that night.
France's 2-0 win over Morocco in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal in Boston triggered chaos thousands of miles away, with riot police dispatched to Edgware Road in London after violent clashes broke out among fans on Thursday (Jul 9) night. Footage circulating on social media showed flares being set off and missiles hurled at officers in the middle of the street, as celebrations spiralled into disorder. A police officer was left injured in the melee, taken to hospital after being struck on the head by a glass bottle, while several others were caught up in the chaos before order was eventually restored.
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London's Edgware road saw riots erupt after France's win over Morocco in Boston Photograph: (AFP)
How the chaos ensued in London after France's win in Boston?
The Metropolitan Police confirmed four people were arrested for violent disorder as the situation escalated on the street. In an official statement, the force explained how it all began: "Officers were initially called after a group of people congregated in the road and blocked traffic."
Things quickly went downhill from there, with the statement adding, "The incident then escalated with the group throwing bottles and setting off fireworks," which prompted reinforcements to be sent in. On the injured officer, police said, "One officer was taken to hospital for head injuries; it is believed he had been hit by a glass bottle," while clarifying no other injuries were reported.
The road was eventually reopened around 1 am local time once the crowd dispersed. The force didn't mince words on the incident, warning, "We will not tolerate such disorder on our streets, or attacks on our officers," and confirmed CCTV footage was being reviewed to track down those responsible.
How UK police is handling World Cup violence?
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This isn't the first World Cup-related disorder London has dealt with this tournament. The UK Football Policing Unit had earlier recorded 223 incidents tied to England's dramatic win over Mexico, including six hate crime cases and 32 domestic abuse incidents. That night alone saw 42 arrests, with pubs allowed to serve until 5 am local time to accommodate the celebrations.
