The New Orleans Saints will play a regular-season game near Paris this fall, officials said Monday, adding another international locale to the NFL's ongoing bid to globalize the uniquely American sport.
The exact date and opponent were not immediately announced in what's going to be the league's first foray into France.
“Bringing a regular season game to Paris in 2026 marks an exciting next step in the continued expansion of the league’s global footprint,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “Paris is one of the world’s greatest sporting and cultural cities with tremendous success in hosting global events that unite fans on the biggest stages.”
The NFL regularly plays games in the United Kingdom, and it has held contests in Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Ireland and Spain.
In the 2026 regular season, the NFL plans to stage nine games outside the United States, officials said.
A game in Mexico City is planned in December, in addition to contests in Paris; Madrid; Rio de Janeiro; Melbourne, Australia; and Munich, Goodell said. Three contests are set for London.
“It’s the ambition we have to be a global sport, but it’s also the demand we’re having,” Goodell told reporters in San Jose, California, about 8 miles from Levi’s Stadium, where the Super Bowl will be played Sunday.
“We’re hearing from cities all over the world that want to host these games and that really want to get more American football," he said. "That’s one of the things we’re really focused on.”
The Saints game will be played at Stade de France, the national stadium in Saint-Denis, just north of Paris.
The French game will come off the Saints' home schedule for 2026, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said.
So the Saints' opponent in France could be the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals or Las Vegas Raiders.
The announcement is expected in the spring, McCarthy added.
Selection of the Saints for the first French game makes historical sense.
The Saints wear a fleur-de-lis on their helmets, paying tribute to New Orleans' long connection to France and French culture.
The U.S. paid France $15 million in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, nearly doubling the size of the young nation.
