Ticket Sales Suspended and Security Concerns Delay AS Quetigny vs AS Saint-Étienne Coupe de France Match Preparations

Ticket sales for the upcoming Coupe de France match between AS Quetigny and AS Saint-Étienne, set for November 15 at the Gaston-Gérard stadium in Dijon, have been suspended due to unresolved security concerns. The match pits the leader of Group B in Régional 2, AS Quetigny, against the third-place team in Ligue 2, AS Saint-Étienne, and will be broadcast live on beIN Sports at 8:30 PM.

The suspension stems from fears that the number of Saint-Étienne supporters could exceed the stadium's limited visitor allocation of 600 places, raising risks of crowd management issues. The French Football Federation's security delegate and local authorities have yet to reach an agreement on how to safely accommodate visiting fans, despite meetings involving representatives from both clubs and DFCO, which is lending the stadium. Authorities are even considering banning Saint-Étienne supporters from traveling to the match.

Ticket sales, initially launched and quickly halted last Friday, are now expected to reopen on November 11 at 2 PM or possibly by November 12 as security solutions are finalized. The organizational difficulties have caused frustration among AS Quetigny officials, who are anxious about the lead-up to the game more than the match itself.

This complex situation highlights the challenges small clubs face in hosting matches against bigger teams, balancing fan enthusiasm with stadium capacity and safety protocols. Fans and clubs alike await the resolution with hope that the anticipated "beautiful celebration" of the seventh round of the Coupe de France can proceed smoothly.