The National Football League says its game in Paris is still on. On Sunday, Oct. 18, the league said the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints will play as scheduled at Stade de France in Paris on Oct. 25, a day after mass protests across France.
The statement came amid nationwide demonstrations over the cost of living and cuts to education spending. According to Front Office Sports, citing the BBC, about 550,000 protesters took part on Saturday, Oct. 17, and there were at least 1,200 arrests. We have not checked those figures against the BBC's own reporting.
This is the NFL's first regular-season game in France. The league's quotes below come second-hand, through Front Office Sports and ESPN. We have not seen the NFL's original statement.
What the League Said
In a written statement to Front Office Sports, the NFL said: "We continue to work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters." The same statement added: "There's been no disruption or impact at league sites."
We found no independent confirmation of that second claim. ESPN reported another line from the league: "Preparations continue as scheduled for NFL events and the game at Stade de France next Sunday."
Front Office Sports reported that the NFL had also said earlier in the week that the game would proceed. The exact time of Sunday's release is unknown. Breitbart's metadata says the league spoke Sunday night, while Front Office Sports says only Sunday.
What the Teams Said
A Saints spokesman confirmed to Front Office Sports that the team would travel to Paris Sunday night. ESPN reported that the Saints fly right after playing the Giants in East Rutherford, N.J. The Saints told Front Office Sports: "We concur with the NFL's statement and are planning to play the game."
The Steelers have said less. Front Office Sports reported that the club arrives Friday morning, Oct. 23, and declined to comment beyond the NFL statement.
Kickoff is 9:30 a.m. Eastern, which is 2:30 p.m. in Paris, according to Front Office Sports. Yahoo Sports reported that it is the sixth of nine international games on the NFL's 2026 schedule.
Riots or Protests
The vocabulary differs by outlet. The URL of the Breitbart piece refers to riots in France. A photo caption on that page describes Oct. 17 nationwide protests in Paris with fires, smoke and clashes. The Daily Caller headline reads, "Foreign NFL Game Still On Despite Riots, League Says." We did not review the text of either article. Front Office Sports, Yahoo and ESPN describe protests or civil unrest.
Front Office Sports, citing the BBC, reported that the French government called the weekend an "escalation in violence." The outlet also reported that videos show police using tear gas and a water cannon in Paris.
What Comes Next
The Steelers arrive Friday, and the game is set for Sunday, Oct. 25. Still to watch are further statements from the NFL, the French government or Paris police on security, any change to NFL fan events around the game, and whether another round of protests follows.
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