NFL's First France Game: Steelers-Saints in Paris Amid Wind and Unrest

Steelers and Saints Headline First NFL Game in France

The Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) and New Orleans Saints (2-4) are scheduled to meet at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on Sunday, October 25, 2026, in a Week 7 game kicking off at 9:30 a.m. ET, according to the NFL's official preview. It is the first regular-season NFL game ever played in France.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell framed the match as part of a wider push into Europe. He told reporters the league is "not coming here as a one-off" and that France is central to its international growth plans, according to France 24.

High Winds Scrap the Steelers' Only Full Practice

On Friday, October 23, the Steelers were forced to cancel the outdoor practice they had planned at the Stade de France after flying overnight from Pittsburgh. The session, set for 11 a.m. local time, was called off about 90 minutes beforehand because of wind and rain, according to a report carried by the Daily Independent (yourvalley.net). Fox News/OutKick reported steady winds of around 20 mph, and the team held news conferences at a downtown hotel instead.

Head coach Mike McCarthy said the decision had to be made before the team's plane landed, according to Fox News. The New Orleans Saints, who are based in Versailles for the trip, also had their Friday practice closed to media viewing because of the same weather conditions, the Daily Independent reported.

Nationwide Unrest in France Prompts Security Changes

The game is taking place against a backdrop of nationwide demonstrations in France over the cost of living and school conditions that began in early October. NBC News reported the French government estimated about 550,000 people took part in protests the preceding Saturday, with some turning violent as masked individuals clashed with riot police, and a curfew imposed in parts of Paris.

Citing the unrest, the Steelers canceled a planned fan event, known as "Steelers House," in the Bastille neighborhood as a precaution, the team said in a statement reported by Fox News. Defensive lineman Cam Heyward told teammates to avoid traveling alone and to stay in groups, according to NBC News.

Goodell told reporters he was highly confident in the security arrangements for the game, saying the league had coordinated with the U.S. State Department, including contact with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and with French and Parisian authorities, NBC News reported. ESPN reported that the State Department had issued a security alert urging Americans attending the game to exercise caution, and that U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the league could have postponed the matchup, saying France was experiencing serious unrest. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers backed the league's decision to proceed, telling reporters he trusted the NFL's judgment and said he believed the game would not go ahead if it were unsafe, according to ESPN.

Goodell's Longer-Term Plan for Europe

According to France 24, Goodell said the NFL currently has nine games scheduled outside the United States this season, including new markets in Melbourne and Rio de Janeiro alongside the Paris debut. He said the league's long-term goal is 16 international games a year, with every one of its 32 teams playing abroad annually, and said he sees Paris as important enough that the city could eventually host an NFL franchise or even a Super Bowl outside the U.S.