NEW YORK — The NFL is putting heightened security measures in place for Sunday’s matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints in France following a weekend of widespread civil unrest across the country, league officials announced Tuesday.
Speaking at the league’s annual fall owners meeting in New York, Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s executive vice president of club business, international and league events, said the league is coordinating directly with Parisian police, French national authorities and the U.S. State Department.
Heightened Vigilance Following Rioting
The security push comes after rioters across France clashed with law enforcement, torched vehicles, stormed government buildings and burned a historic city hall over the weekend. About 2,400 people were arrested nationwide as looting and property damage overshadowed peaceful demonstrations over rising living costs and school conditions.
Despite the unrest, O’Reilly said the league never seriously considered postponing the game or relocating it away from Stade de France, situated in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. The contest marks the NFL’s first regular-season appearance in France.
“There’s nothing more important from our standpoint than the teams’ security, the fans’ security — everybody involved with this game,” O’Reilly said. “Obviously being very vigilant in everything we do, in all of our planning on an hour-by-hour basis, working closely with the two teams.”
NFL security personnel, led by Senior Vice President of Security Cathy Lanier, have already been stationed in France for roughly 10 days, officials reported. O’Reilly also stressed that staging the contest would not divert emergency personnel away from local communities, saying the league feels confident it will not deplete regional resources.
League officials pointed to other major athletic events proceeding as scheduled in the metropolitan area, including a UEFA Champions League soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona held Tuesday night at Parc des Princes without incident. At least seven Saints players attended the soccer match, according to Front Office Sports.
Preparations on the Field
The two franchises adopted contrasting travel approaches for the overseas trip. New Orleans flew directly across the Atlantic after defeating the New York Giants on Sunday, conducting walk-throughs and sightseeing early in the week. The Steelers, who sit at 4-2 following an overtime victory against Tampa Bay, opted to remain stateside before flying overseas closer to the weekend.
O’Reilly noted that the NFL currently permits teams full discretion over travel schedules rather than mandating standardized arrival windows, even after recent debates surrounding long-distance travel to international fixtures.
On the field, oddsmakers have listed Pittsburgh as a 3.5-point favorite against the 2-4 Saints, according to DraftKings lines reported by Sports Illustrated. The matchup will feature 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers leading Pittsburgh into French territory against a New Orleans squad looking to build momentum after ending a three-game skid.
Expanding Global Footprint
The Paris matchup is part of a record nine-game international slate scheduled this season. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, the league can stage up to 10 international games, a threshold O’Reilly confirmed is actively under review for next year as the NFL explores new markets, including Asia.
Sunday’s game is scheduled to kick off at 8:30 a.m. Central Time. Security teams from both the league and French authorities will continue monitoring conditions in Saint-Denis and across the Paris area through game day.
