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NFL Says Paris Game Will Go Ahead as Protests Continue

The league says it is coordinating security with French authorities, reserving the option to move the Oct. 25 Steelers–Saints game to New Orleans if officials judge it unsafe.

Overview

  • The NFL reaffirmed on Wednesday that the first regular-season NFL game in France, scheduled for Oct. 25 at Stade de France, remains on the calendar and that event preparations are ongoing.
  • Paris has seen repeated nationwide protests over education conditions that have entered a third week, produced violent clashes with police and prompted reports of more than 5,000 detentions.
  • League officials say they are working closely with local authorities on operational and security plans for the match and related events in the Paris area.
  • Commentators and team sources say the NFL could relocate the game if safety assessments require it, with the New Orleans Saints listed as the home team and Caesars Superdome the likely short-notice alternative; the league has moved international games before for safety or field concerns.
  • The match is part of a broader NFL push to expand overseas this season, raising commercial and reputational stakes for the league as it balances a high-profile event with a tense domestic political environment in France.