New Orleans Saints have landed in Paris after their 34-27 win over the New York Giants to play the first NFL game in France. The Pittsburgh Steelers, however, will depart following their practice on Thursday. But before their Week 7 matchup at Stade de France, Pittsburgh was supposed to host a house fan event in Paris. That event has now been cancelled, considering the ongoing riots in the country.
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“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 statement read, per Jimmy English. “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.”
The decision came after The Associated Press reported on October 18 that approximately thousands of people took part in a protest march in the Paris region, while authorities estimated roughly 550,000 participants nationwide. Organizers gave a higher nationwide estimate of about 800,000. Meanwhile, police said 855 people had been arrested in the Paris region after violent clashes and looting.
The protest rose against rising living costs and poor school conditions. At the same time, multiple reports described civil unrest, demonstrations, riots, and looting in multiple locations.
Certainly, the Steelers vs. Saints matchup became a topic of discussion due to safety concerns.
The team’s decision to cancel its fan event, however, came because of the Bastille area. Per reports, the Bastille area was identified as the location of the Steelers House and a planned Saturday march.
Meanwhile, the league clarified that the Paris game will go ahead despite the ongoing protest in France.
“Preparations continue as scheduled for NFL events and the game at Stade de France next Sunday. We continue to work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters. We are also providing the two clubs with regular updates. There’s been no disruption or impact at league sites.”
As the league’s statement came to light, the Saints supported the decision to move ahead with the game. The team’s vice president of communications, Greg Bensel, acknowledged that “We concur with the NFL’s statement and are planning to play the game.”
Meanwhile, at the league’s fall meeting, NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly said the league was working with Parisian and national authorities, the U.S. State Department, and both teams. He emphasized that the safety of teams, fans, and everyone involved was the league’s highest priority. O’Reilly also said league security officials, including senior vice president Cathy Lanier, were on the ground in France.
Then, on Wednesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters that he had a high level of confidence in the safety arrangements for the game.
“We’ve made all the preparations,” said Goodell, per AP News. “Protests are not unusual in France, as you know, and that’s something that we will be aware of and make sure that the appropriate arrangements are made.”
The league has previously canceled its planned international games and moved them back to the United States for multiple reasons. In 2020, the NFL announced that all five scheduled international games- four in London and one in Mexico City- would instead be played in the U.S. because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before, the league also moved the November 19, 2018, matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams from Estadio Azteca to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum because the playing surface failed to meet league standards.
That said, the Steelers vs. Saints matchup at Stade de France is scheduled for October 25. While the safety concerns are evident, the league is currently planning to move ahead with France’s first NFL regular-season game.