France Télévisions will broadcast the first NFL game in France live

Saint-Denis – 21/07/2026: the first NFL regular-season game on French soil will receive extensive free-to-air coverage: France Télévisions will broadcast the NFL Paris Game live on Sunday, October 25, 2026. At the Stade de France, the Pittsburgh Steelers will face the New Orleans Saints. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. For American football in France, this is much more than a broadcast: it is the moment when the league moves from a niche program to a national showcase.

The game is scheduled as a Saints home game, but from a sporting perspective, it pits two historic franchises with very different identities against each other. Pittsburgh embodies one of the most successful brands in NFL history, while New Orleans is a team playing its international game in a country where the league has been expanding its reach for years. The outcome remains uncertain, as the 2026 season had not yet begun as of July 21.

France Télévisions is complementing its coverage with three other NFL games in London. The broadcaster thus links the French debut with the league’s already established European center of gravity. In 2026, the NFL will host games in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium; the exact matchups and broadcast dates of the public-service offering have not yet been fully announced.

The Saint-Denis setting gives this event particular significance. Opened in 1998 for the Football World Cup, the Stade de France has already hosted world championships, Champions League finals, major rugby events, as well as competitions at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. On October 25, an NFL regular-season game will be added for the first time. The league and stadium operators explicitly present this game as a first in France.

For viewers, it is not only about the first snap. American football follows a different rhythm from European football: possession, field position, specialized offensive and defensive units, and quarterback decisions structure every series. A live broadcast on free television can introduce this mechanics to a wider audience, with time to explain the rules, tactical schemes, and drama of each drive.

The NFL is thus continuing its internationalization strategy in a new sporting metropolis. London has been on the schedule for years; in 2026, games are also planned in Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Munich. Paris, however, gets its own flagship event with Steelers versus Saints. Ticket sales for the game at the Stade de France are already open; the NFL limits the number of tickets to six per account.

Until October 25, roster decisions, form trends, and possible injuries will remain the sporting unknowns. The framework, however, is set: Pittsburgh versus New Orleans, Sunday afternoon in Saint-Denis and live on public-service television. For French American football fans, this first will not take place in a late recap, but in the live rhythm of an NFL game.