The NFL is still planning to play the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints game in Paris on October 25, even with protests now in their third week across the city. This is wild, man. With growing concern over fan and player safety, you’d think the league might pump the brakes, but nope, they are sticking to the schedule. That game is set for the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, just north of Paris.
Paris Is In Chaos, But The Show Must Go On?
So, what’s actually happening over there? These protests are serious, demanding changes to the education system. Students and citizens are pushing the government to address under-resourced schools, awful conditions, and teacher shortages. They are saying schools are literally falling apart, with rats in the buildings. Can you even imagine? This isn’t just some peaceful march either. The protests have turned violent, with authorities using tear gas and stun grenades to try and break up the crowds. Reports say protestors have set fires and caused damage. CBS News says police have detained over 5,000 people. Local officials are even investigating both the protests and the police response. The French government is in a “political deadlock” heading into presidential elections, and they haven’t given any plans or solutions to the protestors. It’s a full-blown mess.
The League’s Stance and What Could Still Happen
Despite all this, the NFL’s official word, via ESPN, is they are “excited for the first-ever regular season game in Paris, and preparations continue as scheduled.” They claim they work closely with local authorities on all operational and security matters, which, okay, good. But with all the unrest, it makes you wonder how much local authorities can even do if things really blow up. The league *did* say they could reconsider their stance if the situation escalates. They’ve changed game locations before for extreme weather or field conditions, so it’s not unprecedented. The Saints are the home team for this matchup, and their only other listed event in New Orleans that day is a private youth sports event. So, technically, the game could be moved to Caesar’s Superdome if absolutely necessary, but right now, that seems pretty unlikely. If it goes ahead, this would mark the first NFL game ever played in France. The Steelers were overseas just last season, playing in Dublin against the Vikings, and the Saints hit up London in 2022, also against the Vikings.
So, October 25 is the date. Will the protests calm down, or will the NFL actually have to pull the plug on this historic game? It’s gonna be a wild ride to see how this plays out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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