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 "The URBSFA was contacted by the government this evening and advised
not to organize the Belgium-Spain match tomorrow evening," it said
in a statement late on Monday.
The statement, in French, said the game between the European
heavyweights had been canceled though a tweet from the URBSFA
official English account said it had been only postponed.
More information would be made available to ticket holders later
this week, the statement added.
The federation explained the advice was due to the current state of
high alert and a Belgian-based French suspect from Friday's attacks
being on the run.
"We deeply regret that such a friendly match between two motivated
teams is canceled so late and we understand the disappointment of
many supporters," the federation said.
"Taking into account the exceptional circumstances, we cannot
however take any security risk for our players and fans."
The match had been thrown into doubt following Friday's attacks in
Paris, particularly after investigators identified a Belgian
national as the possible mastermind, with Brussels seen as the
springboard.
"We have no idea why the game was called off but we can imagine,"
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque told reporters.
"We wanted to play the match, our final one of the year," he added
in an impromptu news conference on the team aircraft on Tuesday.
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"It wasn't to be and the best thing is to get back to Madrid as
quickly as possible and that the players rejoin their clubs."
France were playing Germany in Paris last Friday as a wave of
attacks hit the city, killing at least 129 people.
The friendly match at the Stade de France was targeted by some of
the attackers though they did not get into the stadium.
The French side will play England in London on Tuesday.
Major sporting events throughout France were suspended at the
weekend.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Greg Stutchbury and
Justin Palmer)
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