NFL Closes Paris Fan Hubs as Saints and Steelers Ready for France's First Regular-Season Game

The NFL closed its NFL House fan center in Paris on Saturday, October 24, 2026, as the city braced for street protests. The league told fans through its OnePass app that morning, citing potential accessibility issues. The Guardian reported the closure, which came one day before the first regular-season game ever played in France.

The league's pop-up shop in central Paris also shut Saturday for the same reason. Fans who wanted merchandise were directed to a shop at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, the stadium hosting Sunday's game. The Saints said their fan event, Saints House, was postponed until Sunday.

Earlier in the week, a Steelers fan event called Steelers House, located in the Bastille neighborhood, was canceled because of security concerns. It had been scheduled for Sunday. The US State Department issued a security alert telling Americans in Paris to exercise caution because of the protests.

Security worries reached beyond football. Sunday's Ligue 1 soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon was moved to Monday at the request of local police. French President Emmanuel Macron met NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Saints owner Gayle Benson and Steelers owner Art Rooney II at the Élysée Palace on Friday to talk about the game.

The game itself is still on. New Orleans and Pittsburgh are set to kick off at Stade de France at 9:30 a.m. Eastern on Sunday. It is Week 7 of the 2026 regular season, which means it counts toward the standings. The Steelers come in at 4-2, and the Saints are 2-4. The Saints are the designated home team, the club listed as hosting, and they arrived in France on Monday to prepare.

Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said the league would cancel the Paris game if conditions became unsafe. That is the clearest line the league and its players have drawn so far. For now, the NFL has not announced any change to the schedule.

For fans who planned a trip around this weekend, the story is mostly about logistics. Shops have moved, fan parties have been pushed back or dropped, and the stadium has become the main place to gather. On the field, the matchup is a normal contest for two teams chasing wins. The difference is the setting, and the people working hard to keep it safe.