There was a brief altercation between a small number of fans early into Thursday's Nations League soccer game between France and Israel despite heavy security inside the stadium.

There was a brief altercation between a small number of fans early into Thursday’s Nations League soccer game between France and Israel despite heavy security inside the stadium, a week after violence erupted in Amsterdam in connection with an Israeli club team’s visit.

The match was overshadowed by frictions around the Gaza war and recent fan violence at a Europa League match in Amsterdam. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Crowds were thin and security was heavy at the Stade de France for Les Bleus' Nations League game against Israel on Thursday after violence in Amsterdam last week around a Europa League match involving Maccabi Tel Aviv.

France qualified for the quarter-finals of the Nations League despite a lacklustre goalless draw against Israel for their Stade de France homecoming after a 17-month hiatus on Thursday.

A brief altercation broke out at the match between France and Israel in the Stade de France in Paris on Thursday evening. Local media said around 50 people were involved in the clash, which took place among fans inside a top section of the stadium during the first half of the Nations League match.

The atmosphere at the stadium was clearly tense on Thursday, with reports of a brief altercation between a small number of fans in the stands early in the game.

Some French fans booed the Israeli national anthem and there were minor scuffles inside a sparsely-attended Stade de France on Thursday for a Nations League game overshadowed by frictions around the Gaza war.