Euro 2016: Victory parade to be scrapped over terror fears if France beat Portugal in final

FEARS of terrorist attacks means there will be no victory parade if France wins the Euro 2016 final in Paris today.

It came as ground-to-air missiles and special forces prepared to protect fans and players at the biggest sporting event in the country this century.

Police chief Michel Cadot cancelled the potential celebrations in advance as he deployed 5000 officers around key venues on Sunday.

Heavily armed officers will be at fan zones and the Stade de France, where France take on Portugal this evening.

But Mr Cadot said a victory parade pencilled in for the start of the new week is "not possible, we cannot allow big crowds to circulate freely on Monday."

Mathias Vicherat, the Paris mayor’s chief of staff, meanwhile said he was confident there was otherwise enough police to ensure public safety.

Vicherat said: "We have an extremely favourable ratio of one officer for fewer than 50 spectators, so it is an extremely high standard."

Islamic state gunmen and suicide bombers murdered 130 people in a single evening around Paris last November, and there are constant fears of a repeat, said Mr Cadot.

France remains under a State of Emergency, and everything possible is being done to stop large crowds gathering.

This means that Sunday will be a major headache, as thousands take to the streets on what was set to be one of the hottest days of the year.