Saints Prepare in Paris for Sunday’s Historic Steelers Matchup

New Orleans Saints players line up during practice in France.

The Saints–Steelers Paris game is moving from a schedule announcement into a working football week. New Orleans is preparing in France for Sunday, October 25th, when the teams meet at Stade de France in the NFL’s first regular-season game in the country.

For Maryland viewers, the key detail is the early start: Pittsburgh’s official announcement lists kickoff at 9:30 a.m. Eastern. That is 2:30 p.m. in France. It puts the matchup ahead of the usual Sunday afternoon schedule and gives local NFL fans an earlier viewing window.

Practice comes first

In its Thursday preparation update, New Orleans said its coordinators were scheduled to speak with reporters following practice. The club also pointed to Wednesday’s injury report, with another practice update due Thursday. Those updates are part of the preparation process; they do not establish a final Sunday availability list.

The Saints’ accompanying photographs show Wednesday’s work at Stade de Montbauron. That practice setting is separate from Stade de France, the venue for Sunday’s game. Head coach Kellen Moore’s team is balancing its regular game-week responsibilities with the logistics of being overseas.

A milestone with security in focus

Stade de France opened in 1998 and has hosted major soccer, rugby and Olympic events. The Steelers’ announcement places the Paris matchup within a 2026 NFL international schedule spanning four continents. Sunday adds a new country to the league’s regular-season footprint.

The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Commissioner Roger Goodell expressed confidence in security arrangements amid unrest and the possibility of further protests in France. That is the league’s stated assessment, rather than an independent guarantee about conditions around the game.

For fans following from home, the immediate checklist is straightforward: note the morning kickoff, follow the teams’ final injury designations and check their official viewing guidance. The historic venue is the backdrop; the next step is a regular-season game with the same standings implications as any other Sunday matchup.