Steelers and Saints make NFL history in France amid nationwide protests
The NFL made history Sunday as the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints faced off in the league's first regular-season game in France, drawing American football fans to Paris despite widespread protests across the country.
(CNN)- The NFL made history Sunday as the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints faced off in the league’s first regular-season game in France, drawing American football fans to Paris despite widespread protests across the country.
Fans traveled from the United States to attend the historic matchup, held just outside the French capital.
“I was like, oh, I like the Steelers, but I love Paris, and this is the first time they’re playing, so let’s go,” one fan said.
The matchup carried special significance for the Saints, whose hometown of New Orleans has deep cultural and historical ties to France.
“New Orleans and Paris are, you know, they’re a sister city. My name is Jean-Michel. If that tells you anything,” another fan said.
The game took place following a weekend of nationwide demonstrations that brought hundreds of thousands of protesters into the streets.
According to French officials, at least 400,000 people participated in protests Saturday, including approximately 110,000 in Paris.
While most demonstrations remained peaceful, some clashes broke out between protesters and police.
French authorities mobilized approximately 70,000 officers across the country as part of a large-scale security operation.
Officials reported nearly 1,000 people were detained nationwide Saturday.
Despite the unrest, authorities said the demonstrations did not reach the level of violence seen during the previous weekend.
The protests are part of a broader wave of demonstrations across Europe in recent weeks, driven by concerns over housing, rising living costs and insufficient education funding.
American football fans attending Sunday’s game appeared largely undeterred by the unrest.
“We go to Mardi Gras every year. You think those protests would scare us?” one fan joked.
The historic matchup marked another milestone in the NFL’s international expansion, bringing regular-season American football to France for the first time.
