The NFL says it has no current plan to relocate next Sunday’s historic Saints-Steelers game from just outside Paris, but a league source confirms the decision could change depending on how unrest in France unfolds.
Street violence broke out across France on Saturday after peaceful demonstrations, drawing an estimated 500,000 to 800,000 marchers, turned chaotic. Masked groups clashed with police, looted businesses, and set fires to private property and public buildings, including the historic city hall in Limoges.
Reports on Sunday indicated arrests climbed from roughly 1,000 to 1,800 nationwide, with 855 of those arrests occurring in the Paris region alone.
President Donald Trump addressed the unrest Sunday morning on Truth Social, writing that “France is burning” and that “people with hatred in their hearts” have “shattered that once great country.”
A Game With High Stakes
The disorder lands squarely on the NFL’s calendar. The league is set to play its first-ever game in France next Sunday at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, just north of Paris, where the New Orleans Saints are scheduled to serve as the designated home team against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Last week, before the violence escalated, the league signaled the game was proceeding as planned. “We look forward to welcoming fans to Paris later this month,” the NFL said in a statement at the time.
The league’s chief spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment following the unrest. But a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity said the NFL has been coordinating “with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters and if events warrant, a change in venue can be considered.”
Logistics Complicate a Possible Move
Both franchises have publicly embraced the Paris matchup. Saints owner Gayle Benson said in a statement announcing the game that “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 scheduled to fly to Paris directly following their game against the New York Giants this Sunday, according to general manager Mickey Loomis. The team intends to spend the full week in France ahead of kickoff to adjust to the time difference.
Shifting the game back to the United States would not be simple. New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome is already booked for another event on Oct. 25, the date of the scheduled matchup. Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium, by contrast, has no competing event that day, leaving it as a potential fallback site if the league ultimately decides a venue change is necessary.
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