Steelers vs. Saints: NFL's Paris Debut

The NFL said on May 13 that the Pittsburgh Steelers will play the New Orleans Saints in Paris on Oct. 25, 2026, giving France its first regular-season NFL game. The league placed the matchup at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. local time, or 9:30 a.m. Eastern. The announcement came a day before the full 2026 NFL schedule release. The game is part of a record nine-game international slate across seven countries next season, the league said. ### Which teams are playing, and when exactly is kickoff? Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, is the date the NFL assigned to Steelers-Saints in Paris, according to the league, the Steelers and the Saints. The Saints are listed as the designated home team for the game, while Pittsburgh is the opponent in what the NFL called the first regular-season matchup in France. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. in France and 9:30 a.m. (steelers.com) Eastern in the United States. New Orleans' team site said quarterback Tyler Shough and tackle Taliese Fuaga took part in Paris events tied to the announcement, including a school visit and a press conference. The Saints said those appearances were part of the launch around the league's first Paris game. ### Why is the NFL using Stade de France? (steelers.com) Stade de France is the venue the league selected for the Paris game, and the stadium operator said the event will be held in Saint-Denis on the northern edge of Paris. The stadium's ticket page describes the game as the first NFL regular-season contest ever staged in France and said the event is being organized with support from the French Ministry of Sports, Youth and Community Life, the French American Football Federation, Plaine Commune, the City of Saint-Denis, the City of Paris, the Greater Paris Metropolis and the Île-de-France Region. (neworleanssaints.com) The stadium operator said the event fits its international events calendar and cited the venue's history hosting major soccer, rugby and Olympic competitions. Those details help explain why the NFL chose an established national stadium rather than a smaller site in France. That is an inference based on the venue's stated credentials and the league's use of major international stadiums elsewhere on its 2026 slate. (stadefrance.com) ### How does this fit into the NFL's 2026 overseas schedule? May 13 was the date the NFL unveiled its 2026 international lineup, which the league said will include nine regular-season games across four continents, seven countries and eight stadiums. Paris is one of three first-time 2026 host markets named by the league, alongside Melbourne and Rio de Janeiro. London will host three games, while Madrid, Munich and Mexico City also return to the schedule. (media.nfl.com) Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's executive vice president of club business, major events and international, said in the league release that the 2026 season would feature its "most expansive and ambitious international slate yet." He said the schedule is intended to bring fans outside the United States closer to the game. (media.nfl.com) ### What has the NFL said about demand in France? The Stade de France ticket page said the NFL has more than 14 million fans in France. The same page said NFL Flag, the league's youth flag football program, launched in France in 2023 in partnership with the French American Football Federation and now reaches more than 8,000 young people. (media.nfl.com) The stadium page also tied the event to flag football's debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. That connection was presented by the venue operator as part of the sport's broader development in France rather than by the league as a direct reason for the game. ### When do tickets go on sale? (stadefrance.com) June 2 at 10 a.m. Central European Summer Time is the date listed on NFL.com for the American Express presale for general admission and hospitality packages. NFL.com said buyers in that presale must use an American Express card and may purchase up to six tickets. The league said future sales dates will be released later, and both NFL.com and the stadium site are collecting sign-ups for ticket updates. (stadefrance.com) Thursday, May 14, 2026, is the date the full NFL schedule is due to be released, following the international-games announcement a day earlier. The Steelers, Saints, NFL.com and Stade de France are the named sources for the next round of details on tickets and the rest of each club's 2026 schedule. (steelers.com) (nfl.com)