NFL to Add Heightened Security for Paris Game Due to Civil Unrest

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Dylan Gwinn 20 Oct 2026157

Paris has descended into flames and anarchy as thousands have taken to the streets for what amounted to nearly a week of rioting.

But that doesn’t mean the NFL will cancel its game there.

NFL executive Peter O’Reilly said Tuesday that the league will increase security for Sunday’s game between the Steelers and the Saints and will work with the U.S. State Department and Parisian and national authorities to ensure fan and player safety.

“There’s nothing more important from our standpoint than the teams’ security, the fans’ security — everybody involved with this game,” O’Reilly said at the fall league meetings, via the Associated Press. “Obviously being very vigilant in everything we do, in all of our planning on an hour-by-hour basis, working closely with the two teams.”

As for heightened security for the NFL game at the Stade de France drawing critical security resources away from other areas, O’Reilly doesn’t see it as an issue.

“We feel confident that we would not have any impact on the broader resources needed,” O’Reilly said. “That’s always top of mind for us, and we feel confident that we wouldn’t be depleting resources in a negative way around this game.”

O’Reilly added that other sporting events in and around Paris have continued as scheduled despite the unrest, and the NFL never considered canceling the game.

“The Saints flew to Paris after their victory over the Giants on Sunday. The Steelers will travel later this week,” Pro Football Talk reports.

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