Pittsburgh Steelers play the New Orleans Saints at Stade de France on October 25 in the NFL’s first regular-season game in France. But so far, the scheduled matchup is facing major security concerns amid the ongoing protests in the country, prompting both teams and the league to take immediate action.
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So far, the Steelers have canceled their own fan event, the Saints have postponed a gathering, and the NFL has increased security arrangements amid widespread protests across France. And now, ESPN’s Adam Schefter has added another layer to it, as the NFL has now closed its “NFL House” in Paris on Saturday.
Per reports, the league informed fans on Saturday morning through its NFL OnePass app that NFL House would be closed for the day. The league cited “potential accessibility issues” as the reason. Per ESPN, the shutdown came just a day after the NFL announced that its pop-up merchandise shop in central Paris would also remain closed on Saturday, again citing potential accessibility problems.
As for the NFL House, several activities were scheduled on Saturday, including French Athletes in Football, From the Field to the community, and fan experiences and displays, including an expected Lombardi Trophy display, according to a fan interviewed by AP.
At the same time, ESPN reported that on Friday, October 23, French President Emmanuel Macron met NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Saints owner Gayle Benson, and Steelers owner Art Rooney II at the Élysée Palace. According to reports, the meeting concerned Sunday’s game and the league’s long-term future in Paris.
The league’s decision came after both teams had already taken certain steps for security reasons ahead of the matchup in Paris. This week only, the Steelers canceled their planned Steelers House event on Thursday, October 22. Per reports, the gathering was supposed to take place near Paris’s Bastille neighborhood, where recent unrest had raised security concerns.
“Following recent events in the Bastille neighborhood, and after careful consideration, we felt it appropriate not to move forward with the planned Steelers House fan event in Paris,” the team said in a statement. “Preparations for Sunday’s NFL Paris game at Stade de France continue as planned, with NFL working closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters.”
Meanwhile, the Saints announced on Saturday that their Saints House gathering would be postponed until Sunday, citing, “Saints House has been postponed until Sunday. Official hours will be announced later today.”
These major decisions came amid tensions surrounding the country. The protest began in September amid dissatisfaction with conditions in France’s education system, including teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and inadequate resources. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the deployment of 70,000 officers for Saturday’s demonstrations, 10,000 more than the previous weekend.
At the same time, the disruption extends well beyond the NFL. Per reports, multiple museums, including the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, are closed. The Paris Opera House suspended activities for the day. More than 20 metro stations were shut, with some reports specifying 24.
Despite the issues, however, the NFL plans to host the game in Paris. Meanwhile, the league has also increased security for the game. NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly explained that the league was coordinating with French and Parisian authorities, as well as the U.S. State Department.
“There’s nothing more important from our standpoint than the teams’ security, the fans’ security — everybody involved with this game,” said O’Reilly at the league meeting. “Obviously being very vigilant in everything we do, in all of our planning on an hour-by-hour basis, working closely with the two teams.”
O’Reilly also said the league had never reached a point where canceling the game was considered necessary. On the other hand, Roger Goodell also confirmed that he had spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and that the league remained in contact with French authorities. The commissioner expressed confidence that the necessary preparations had been made and noted that protests were not uncommon in France.
While the NFL’s decision to host the game in Paris amid the protest certainly drew mixed reactions, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has backed it up.
“I definitely think that the NFL is alert to what’s going on,” said Rodgers during a press conference on Friday. “This game means a lot to the NFL. If it was unsafe, then I’m sure we wouldn’t be here.”
The Saints reached Paris just after their Week 6 win over the New York Giants, while the Steelers departed following their practice on Thursday. While the league was forced to close its event, the game is still scheduled to be played at Stade de France on October 25.