The NFL will increase security measures for Sunday’s Pittsburgh Steelers-New Orleans Saints game at Stade de France after widespread unrest in and around Paris last weekend.
League officials said the matchup in Saint-Denis, north of central Paris, remains on schedule. The game will be the NFL’s first in France, and officials said it was never under consideration for relocation or cancellation.
Quick facts
- Steelers vs. Saints is set for Sunday at Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
- The NFL is coordinating security planning with Paris and French national authorities and the U.S. State Department.
- Senior vice president of security Cathy Lanier and other league personnel are already in France.
- New Orleans arrived in Paris after its road game against the New York Giants; Pittsburgh will travel later in the week.
- The league has scheduled a record nine international games this season and could consider as many as 10 next year.
Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s executive vice president of club business, international and league events, said protection of the clubs, fans and everyone working at the event is the league’s foremost concern. He said planning is being reviewed continuously with both teams and government partners.
French authorities arrested roughly 2,400 people during a weekend in which violence and looting spread through several major cities. Rioters confronted police, burned vehicles, entered public buildings and set a historic city hall ablaze, while thousands of businesses were reported damaged or looted.
The unrest followed large demonstrations over rising living costs and poor school conditions. Hundreds of thousands of people joined peaceful marches, but the protests were overshadowed by the subsequent disorder.
O’Reilly said the NFL does not expect the game to pull police or other public resources away from broader needs in the region. Other major events have continued in Paris, including Tuesday’s Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.
The league has previously shifted games when local emergency conditions made it necessary, particularly when staging an event could interfere with a community response. Officials believe that circumstance does not apply in Paris this week.
International schedule could expand again
The collective bargaining agreement permits up to 10 overseas games in a season. The NFL has nine international games on this year’s calendar, its highest total to date, and O’Reilly said a 10-game slate is under consideration for next season.
Locations for those potential games have not been finalized. The league values returning to established markets but is also evaluating new territories, with Asia among the regions being discussed.
Travel timing remains a club decision for now. The issue drew attention after the Los Angeles Rams traveled late for their Melbourne game and lost 27-7 to the San Francisco 49ers.
O’Reilly said football operations staffs currently retain authority over how and when their teams make international trips. The NFL has not ruled out future standards for travel preparation, but no league-wide requirement is imminent.
