NFL Proceeds With Paris Game Amid Civil Unrest
The NFL is moving forward with its first regular-season game in France despite security alerts and calls from Donald Trump to postpone the event.
The National Football League is proceeding with its first regular-season game in France between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints on Sunday, October 25, at Stade de France. The event follows a period of violent civil unrest in Paris and other French cities, marked by looting, property destruction, and attacks on police.
In response to the instability, the United States Department of State issued a security alert advising Americans in Paris to exercise caution and avoid demonstrations. The NFL closed its pop-up shop on Rue Saint-Merri on Saturday, October 24, and the Pittsburgh Steelers canceled a fan event at Place de la Bastille and a flag football event near the Eiffel Tower. Other major venues, including the Louvre and Art Basel Paris, also closed for the weekend as the government of Emmanuel Macron tightened protest restrictions.
President Donald Trump suggested the league should have postponed the match, stating that France is in trouble. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the decision, noting that preparations were made in consultation with U.S. and French authorities and that street protests are common in France. The event has also been impacted by Storm Austen, which brought high winds and rain to the region, prompting an orange alert from the French national weather service and the cancellation of a Steelers practice session.
