NFL Paris Match Confirmed Despite Unrest In France

Game on at Stade de France

The NFL has confirmed that the Week 7 match between the New Orleans Saints and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris will go ahead as planned. Civil unrest and protests across France raised concerns, but league officials state that preparations are moving forward.

The game is scheduled to take place north of Paris at the Stade de France. In an official statement, the NFL confirmed that preparations continue as planned for both the events and the game. The league is working alongside local authorities and security partners, adding that there has been no disruption at official league sites.

Travel plans for both teams

The two teams are taking different approaches to their travel schedules. The Saints will fly to Paris right after their match against the New York Giants in East Rutherford, New Jersey. They plan to practice in the Paris area ahead of the fixture.

The Steelers will stay home a bit longer. They plan to hold practices in Pittsburgh before flying out to France on Thursday.

Saints spokesman Greg Bensel confirmed the team agrees with the NFL statement. He stated that team security and operations staff have been in France for several days. He added that there has been no disruption at any team locations.

Unrest across the country

The civil unrest follows nationwide demonstrations over rising living costs and poor conditions in schools. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets. Police have arrested at least 1,800 people across France after groups clashed with officers and looted stores.

On Saturday, masked groups set fires and attacked public buildings, including city halls. President Emmanuel Macron scheduled an emergency meeting with senior officials on Sunday ahead of a national address at 8 p.m.