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For the first time in its history, the NFL is scheduling a regular-season game in France. On Sunday, October 25 at 2:30 PM, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints will face off at the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis. A historic event whose ticket sales, open since July 16, have not yet sold out. The matchup and the venue make it one of the great sporting events of the French autumn.
A long-awaited first
The game is part of the NFL's international series, which already includes stops in London, Madrid, and Munich.
The game is part of the NFL's international series, which already includes stops in London, Madrid, and Munich. This expansion strategy, launched nearly twenty years ago with the first games in London, aims to make American football a global product. Long focused on London, this strategy has expanded to Madrid and Munich before now extending to Paris. The announcement, made in February, had first confirmed the presence of the New Orleans Saints, before the league designated the Pittsburgh Steelers as their opponents. On October 25, the Stade de France will therefore host the first official regular-season game ever played in France.
The game will be played at 2:30 PM local time, in the middle of a busy weekend for the league's international calendar. For both franchises, this trip to Europe will also count in the race for the playoffs of a season that resumes in September. Between the travel and the sporting stakes, the preparation for this event will weigh as much as the result on the score sheet.
Ticket sales open since July 16
The NFL unveiled the different sales phases on May 18, with a presale reserved for American Express cardholders before the general opening. Public ticket sales opened on Thursday, July 16 at noon. Since this season, the league has applied all-inclusive pricing for its international games, a choice designed to simplify spectator access to the stadium.
A month later, not everything is sold out. Touchdown Actu noted on August 10 that seats remained in categories 2 to 6, some of which were reserved for FFFA licensees, the French American football federation. The site questions a pricing structure deemed high, which would explain why the event is not sold out despite its unprecedented nature. In other words, the historic character is not yet enough to fill the stands: price remains a filter, even for such a highly anticipated first.
A signal for American football in France
This game goes beyond the mere sporting framework. It consecrates the breakthrough of a discipline long considered niche in France, driven by rising audiences and a growing community of licensees. The Stade de France, accustomed to Coupe de France finals and concerts, is preparing to welcome a crowd it has never seen before for an NFL game. Hosting such an established league from across the Atlantic in this venue illustrates the progress made by the discipline in France.
The event also serves as a test for the league, which is multiplying games outside the United States to expand its market. A success in Paris would pave the way for other editions, or even a more regular presence of American football in the French calendar. The league will thus be able to measure the appetite of a public it seeks to retain beyond its borders.
It remains to be seen whether the NFL will make Paris a recurring stop. The answer will depend in part on the success of this first, both at the box office and on screen. The coming months will tell whether the recent enthusiasm is enough to convert the try and durably anchor the discipline in the French sporting calendar.