NFL Confirms Steelers-Saints Game in Paris Will Proceed Despite Weeks of French Unrest

The NFL says its first regular-season game in the Paris area will go ahead as planned on Oct. 25, even as France enters its third week of social unrest and street protests.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints are set to meet at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, just north of Paris, in what will be the league’s inaugural regular-season contest in the country. The Saints are the designated home team for the matchup.

In a statement obtained by ESPN, the league confirmed preparations are continuing without interruption. “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 Oct. 25,” the NFL said. “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.”

The unrest has centered on demands for sweeping changes to France’s education system. Protesters are pressing the government to address schools they say are under-resourced, with deteriorating buildings, teacher shortages and, in some cases, reported rat infestations, according to accounts from students. Some demonstrations have turned violent, prompting French authorities to respond with tear gas, stun grenades and other crowd-control tactics, as reported by CBS News. France is scheduled to hold presidential elections next spring.

The league has history with relocating games on short notice, though those moves have typically followed extreme weather or unsafe field conditions rather than civil unrest. No such contingency has been announced for the Paris game.

The France matchup is part of a record international slate for the 2026-27 season. The NFL recently staged its first regular-season game in Australia, adding to its established presence in England, and will also play games in Brazil, Spain, Germany and Mexico as part of a broader push to expand the sport’s footprint abroad. League owners have approved as many as 10 international games for 2027.

On the field, the Saints arrive at their Week 6 matchup against the New York Giants on a three-game losing streak. The Steelers, meanwhile, picked up their third win of the season Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts and head to Tampa this weekend to face a Buccaneers team that snapped its own winless start by upsetting the Dallas Cowboys last Thursday.