Excitement swept through fans in May 2026, when the NFL announced that the New Orleans Saints and the Pittsburgh Steelers would play in Paris on Sunday, October 25, 2026. However, concerns about the game rose when Paris began witnessing social unrest. With about 11 days left to the game, the NFL dismissed the concerns.
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“We’re excited for the first-ever regular season game in Paris, and preparations continue as scheduled for NFL events and the game at Stade de France on October 25,” the league’s statement read, as per ESPN NFL reporter Brooke Pryor. “As we do for every NFL game, including our international games, we work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters. We look forward to welcoming fans to Paris later this month.”
But then again, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio claimed that looking forward to the game and the game actually happening in Paris are two different things. According to him, the league might reconsider if the officials believe that “the game will present safety issues for anyone involved.”
The New York Times reported that around 250,000 people marched in the rallies around the country. They flooded dozens of cities from Caen to Marseille, with union activists and high school students swelling the crowds.
If things don’t work out in Paris, Florio suggested that hosting it in New Orleans would be the obvious alternative. In 2018, the league relocated a Kansas City Chiefs–Los Angeles Rams game from Mexico City due to the poor condition of the field at Azteca Stadium. In the end, the officials brought the game to Los Angeles.
Nevertheless, international games receive more attention than the games on US soil. The game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Philadelphia Eagles in London, on October 11, 2026, attracted 8.1 million viewers, as per ESPN. It was the second-most-watched NFL International Series game since 2016. That raised the bar for the Saints-Steelers game in Paris.
Team owners were already honored to play in Paris
Back in May 2026, Steelers president Art Rooney II expressed his excitement at having the Steelers in the league’s first regular-season game in Paris.
“We’re honored to represent the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL in the League’s first-ever game in Paris this upcoming season,” Rooney said. “Playing the New Orleans Saints in such a historic setting is a great opportunity to showcase the NFL’s global growth and to connect with fans around the world. It’s an exciting moment for our organization and for Steelers Nation everywhere.”
Meanwhile, Saints owner Gayle Benson also revealed his thoughts at the announcement.
“It is a privilege for the New Orleans Saints to take part in the NFL’s first regular season game in France,” Benson said. “Louisiana’s relationship with France is centuries deep, and this game represents another meaningful step in strengthening those cultural and economic ties. The Saints are also proud to partner with the NFL’s flag football initiatives in France, which have grown rapidly and now engage thousands of young athletes.”
He went on to thank Commissioner Roger Goodell, Ambassador Charles Kusher, Ambassador of France to the United States Laurent Bili, Consul General of France Samuel Ducroquet, and Consul General of France in Louisiana Rodolphe Sambou, for making it possible for the Saints to play in Paris.
The game in Paris will mark New Orleans’ fourth overseas regular-season game. NFL’s head of Europe and Asia Pacific, Brett Gosper, previously hyped up the city. He claimed that Paris is a “global city synonymous with some of the world’s greatest sporting and cultural moments.”
The game would draw significant French viewership. But that’s if the NFL actually holds the game in Paris and the ongoing riots subside.