NFL Closes Paris 'NFL House' Fan Hub as Protests Loom, Steelers-Saints Game Still Set for Sunday

Since the Steelers canceled their Bastille fan event on Thursday, Oct. 22, the NFL's footprint in Paris has kept shrinking. On Saturday, Oct. 24, the league closed its "NFL House" fan hub as the city braced for street protests.

The NFL told fans through its OnePass app Saturday morning. It cited "potential accessibility issues," the same reason it gave a day earlier for closing its pop-up shop in the city center. Fans were pointed to an alternative shop at Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

Programs scheduled for NFL House on Saturday included "French Athletes in Football" and "From the Field to the Community." The Saints also announced that "Saints House has been postponed until Sunday."

The game is still on

The Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints are set to kick off Sunday, Oct. 25, at 9:30 a.m. ET at Stade de France. It is the league's first regular-season game in France.

Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's executive vice president for club business, international and league events, said there was never serious consideration of canceling or moving the game.

On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Saints owner Gayle Benson and Steelers president Art Rooney II at the Élysée Palace. The stated purpose was to "discuss Sunday's game and the long-term future of the NFL in Paris."

Goodell has said the league coordinated with French and U.S. authorities. "Protests are not unusual in France, as you know, and that's something that we will be aware of and make sure that the appropriate arrangements are made," he said Wednesday.

What Paris looks like Saturday

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said as many as 70,000 officers would be deployed nationwide on Saturday. Paris police approved one march, from Bastille to Nation, and banned all other demonstrations in the city.

Authorities closed 24 metro stations. The Louvre and the Orsay Museum are shut for the day, though tourists were still lining up at Notre Dame Cathedral. Storefronts across the capital are boarded up.

The unrest began in mid-September with high school students protesting overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and outdated facilities. Trade unions and the yellow-vest movement later joined over the rising cost of living. Figures reported for the Oct. 17 demonstrations put turnout above 500,000 nationwide, with more than 2,000 arrests in Paris.

The U.S. State Department issued a security alert this week telling "Americans in Paris for the NFL game" to "exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings."

A shifting message from the league

On Thursday, Nicki Ewell, the NFL's vice president for global events, said no league fan events had been affected. Since then the league has closed its shop and its fan hub.

The Steelers said their Bastille event was scrapped "following recent events in the Bastille neighborhood, and after careful consideration."

The team's Friday arrival also changed. The Steelers landed Friday morning, but a planned practice after landing did not happen. Coach Mike McCarthy said the call was made before the plane touched down, based on weather and timing. Winds in the area were reported at a steady 20 mph. No unrest was reported near the team's route, according to Fox News.

McCarthy said he is aware of the surrounding situation. "I think the NFL, the local government and everybody involved have done an excellent job communicating," he said. "We're very confident in our experience here is going to be very positive."

Fans and families weigh the risk

Not everyone shares that confidence. One Steelers fan told KDKA he rerouted his trip to Madrid and Barcelona, calling Paris "a roll of the dice" for the money involved. Two other Steelers fans in Paris told the station they were staying cautious but had not felt unsafe so far.

Dani Watt, wife of Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, questioned the decision to play in Paris on her Instagram Story earlier in the week.

The Steelers are 4-2 after a 26-19 overtime win at Tampa Bay. The Saints have been in Paris since Monday.

The next test is Sunday morning: whether the game kicks off on schedule, and whether the Saints' rescheduled fan event goes ahead as planned. The league and Macron have also said they discussed the long-term future of NFL games in Paris, and neither has said how this weekend's disruptions factor in.