The NFL’s international push reaches a new milestone this weekend, and the backdrop fits the moment. The Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints will meet in Paris, giving the league its first-ever game in France.
For the league, that makes this a first-of-its-kind stage. For the stadium, it means another major entry on a long list of headline events. The game will be played at Stade de France, one of Europe’s premier venues and a place that has spent decades hosting some of the biggest moments in sports.
Stade de France sits in Saint-Denis, a suburb just outside Paris. It was built there because the city center was considered too small for the project, and the newer location made construction easier on the outskirts.
The venue can hold 81,338 fans, putting it in the same neighborhood as some of the largest NFL stadiums. When the Steelers and Saints take the field, the atmosphere should feel familiar to anyone used to a major football crowd in the United States.
Opened in 1998, Stade de France was built just in time for France to host the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The project came together because Paris wanted a new stadium for that tournament, something the country had not staged since 1938.
Before that, Parc des Princes was the city’s main sports and event home. Once Stade de France opened, though, it quickly established itself as one of the biggest and most popular stadiums in Europe.
It is also France’s national stadium, serving as the home of the country’s national soccer and rugby teams. On the soccer side, it has been the stage for Les Bleus as they rose into one of the world’s top teams.
The stadium’s resume is loaded. It has hosted the 1998 World Cup, 2003 Confederations Cup, 2007 Rugby World Cup, 2016 UEFA Euro tournament, and three UEFA Champions League finals. It also served as one of the venues for the 2024 Summer Olympics, which were held entirely in or around Paris.
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Pittsburgh also had its Friday morning practice wiped out by Storm Austen, which brought high winds and rain that made the stadium session a no-go. The adjustment leaves the Steelers working around the elements and the schedule rather than settling into a normal game-week routine, and for New Orleans it adds one more unusual wrinkle to a trip that was already going to feel anything but routine. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Kicking Situation Is Putting Kellen Moore In A Tough Spot
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Saints Defense Could Get A Needed Boost Before Steelers Showdown
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Tyler Shough, Nathan Shepherd and Kool-Aid McKinstry were full participants despite their recent issues, which at least gives the Saints some encouraging signs heading into the week. But the injury report was not clean, either, with Alvin Kamara among the players limited and Cesar Ruiz dealing with a knee problem, leaving New Orleans with a few more questions to answer before Sunday. [Read more 🡒]