Paris: Social media has been abuzz with alarming claims suggesting that the Eiffel Tower, one of the world’s most iconic landmarks, is set to be demolished in 2026. Posts circulating widely on platforms like X have cited reasons ranging from an expiring operating lease to declining footfall, structural issues, and high maintenance costs.

However, there is no official confirmation or credible evidence supporting these claims.

The rumour appears to have originated from a satirical article published on September 18, 2025, by a parody website called Tapioca Times. Known for its fictional and humorous content, the site published a piece quoting an entirely imaginary “spokesman” who claimed, “We’ve had a good run, it’s been popular for a long time, but nobody goes there anymore, so we’re shutting it down.”

The fictional article further alleged that the Eiffel Tower had fallen out of favour with younger generations and was being targeted by drones, while also humorously citing "squirrels and pigeons" as persistent problems. It floated outlandish replacement ideas like a water slide, a Burning Man-style festival site, or a Las Vegas-inspired concert venue.

The satirical tone of the piece was overlooked as snippets from the article were reposted on social media without context, often shared in a manner that implied the demolition was a verified fact.

In reality, no such plans exist. Neither the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), the organisation that operates the tower, nor the City of Paris, nor any French cultural heritage body has announced anything related to dismantling or replacing the Eiffel Tower.

Officials have not responded directly to the viral rumour, likely due to its clearly fabricated origin.