Just after the game kicked off at 8:45 p.m., local time, officials reported a small brawl between Israeli and French soccer fans at a top section of the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis. Some of those involved in the scuffle were wearing Israeli flags draped over their backs as they wrestled with other people in the stands.

A heavy police presence but few visiting fans are expected when France hosts Israel in Nations League soccer on Thursday, a week after violence erupted in Amsterdam in connection with an Israeli team’s visit.

After the recent violence around an Israeli team’s game in Amsterdam, French leaders insisted on proceeding under security with a France-Israel match, and on showing up, themselves.