French sports journalists held up scarves in support of Christophe Gleizes on Monday before the start of France boss Didier Deschamps' news conference

🌐 Here's What Happened

A seat is being left empty in the press box at every France game at the World Cup to highlight the case of a French sports journalist who is in prison in Algeria.

Christophe Gleizes was jailed in 2025 for seven years for supporting terrorism.

French journalists' unions have called on Algeria to release Gleizes, who specialises in African football for the Paris-based So Foot magazine.

📌 Key Details

On Monday, journalists held up scarves saying 'Free Gleizes' before France boss Didier Deschamps' news conference at the New Jersey New York Stadium to preview Tuesday's game with Senegal (20:00 BST).

Gleizes' mother Sylvie has travelled to the World Cup to highlight her son's case.

She told BBC Sport on Monday that his accreditation for the tournament was personally approved by Fifa president Gianni Infantino.

Christophe Gleizes's accreditation for the 2026 World Cup was on display at the France news conference

Gleizes was detained in May 2024 after travelling to Algeria in for an article on the club JSK, based in Tizi Ouzou.

He was subsequently found guilty of holding exchanges with a proponent of self-determination for Algeria's Kabyle minority.

📰 Source: BBC Africa