The New Orleans Saints now know their opponent in Paris. The first NFL game in France will take place on Sunday, October 25 at Stade de France, pitting the Saints against the Pittsburgh Steelers, as announced on Wednesday by the National Football League (NFL). The kickoff time is also set at 2:30 pm.
The announcement of this historic event was made back in February, when the NFL confirmed that New Orleans, due to its historical ties with France, would be one of the two teams playing in this regular season game. “The relationship between Louisiana and France has existed for centuries, and this game represents a significant step in strengthening our cultural and economic ties,” noted Saints owner Gayle Benson.
Similarly to the NBA, the NFL has been expanding the concept of regular season games abroad for about twenty years, with matches being played in countries such as Great Britain, Germany, Spain, and Mexico. There will be a total of nine international games in the 2026 season, including the one at Stade de France. Paris is the third largest market for the NFL in Europe, following Germany and the UK, according to Brett Gosper, NFL’s Director for Europe and Asia-Pacific.
“Paris is an international metropolis and we are excited to showcase the excitement of an NFL game to French fans and fans around the world,” highlighted Gosper, while Sports Minister Marina Ferrari called it “a historic milestone and a strong symbol of international sporting influence for France.”
The NFL regular season consists of 18 weeks starting from early September to early January, followed by the playoffs leading up to the prestigious Super Bowl a month later. The dates for the 2026 season will be announced on Thursday. In their history, the Saints have only won one Super Bowl, back in February 2010, compared to the six Super Bowl victories for the Steelers, one of the most revered franchises in the NFL.
