France postpones soccer matches after severe winter weather

A patch of severe weather marked by snowfalls and freezing temperature has led the French soccer federation to postpone a number of matches this weekend.

After snowfalls hit Paris on Thursday, the national weather service has issued weather alerts for snow and ice in many regions across the country.

The French soccer federation said Friday that matches in the women's top league and men's lower divisions scheduled over the weekend had been postponed.

Matches in Ligue 1, the men's elite championship, were unaffected. Leader PSG hosted Toulouse on Friday. The rugby test match between France and Argentina scheduled at the Stade de France in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis was also expected to go ahead as planned.

The Caetano storm crossed France on Thursday and caused early winter conditions accompanied by violent winds that disrupted travel in several regions.