Protests swept through France this weekend, with violent clashes, fires, and mass arrests raising questions about the NFL’s first regular-season game in Paris. Despite unrest spreading across multiple cities and at least 1,800 arrests nationwide, the league has confirmed the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints matchup will go ahead at Stade de France on October 25.
Masked groups set fires to public buildings in several cities, including Limoges, where flames engulfed the 19th-century City Hall, causing its roof to collapse. Officials described the fire as deliberate. Paris saw looting and significant damage in areas around Place de la République, with shattered storefronts and dislodged cobblestones marking the aftermath. Paris police reported 855 arrests in the capital region alone, with 557 people held in custody.
The protests began over living costs and demands for better education, including improved school conditions and addressing teacher shortages. Demonstrations quickly escalated into violent confrontations between rioters and police.
The NFL has been monitoring the situation closely. Peter O’Reilly, the league’s executive vice president of club business, international, and league events, gave an update during the annual fall owners meeting. He said the league has had personnel in Paris for the past ten days and has intensified security measures in cooperation with Parisian authorities, national government agencies, and the U.S. State Department.
“There’s nothing more important from our standpoint than the teams’ security, the fans’ security, everybody involved with this game,” O’Reilly said. He added the league is “very vigilant in everything we do” and is planning “on an hour-by-hour basis,” working closely with both teams.
O’Reilly also addressed concerns about local resources being stretched by the unrest and the game’s security needs. “We feel confident that we would not have any impact on the broader resources needed. That’s always top of mind for us, and we feel confident that we wouldn’t be depleting resources in a negative way around this game.”
The NFL reiterated last week that preparations for the game continue as scheduled. After the weekend’s protests, the league issued another statement confirming the game will take place at Stade de France on October 25, with no disruptions to league sites or operations.
Saints executive Greg Bensel echoed the league’s position, confirming the team’s commitment to playing the game in Paris. “We concur with the NFL’s statement and are planning to play the game. In addition to working closely with the NFL, we have also maintained daily security updates with our security partners in France,” Bensel said. He noted football operations and internal security staff have been on the ground in France for several days, encountering no disruptions at team facilities.
The game is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, 2:30 p.m. local time in Paris. While the NFL has moved games before due to weather or field issues, officials have not indicated any plans to relocate this event. If a move were to occur, New Orleans would be the most likely alternative home venue, as the Saints are the designated home team.
As protests continue across France, the NFL remains focused on managing security risks in partnership with local and national authorities. The league plans to maintain heightened presence throughout the week leading up to the game.
According to CBS.