Who Dat Nation ⚜️
If you watched #Olympics closing ceremony, saw @TomCruise amazing stunt in Stade de France…
You may be there soon!
As we reported weeks ago, #NFL sources confirm league + #Saints working to stage regular-season game in @Paris
Could be 2025, probably 2026. pic.twitter.com/l2fZilrLoy— Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) August 13, 2024
New Orleans Saints fans supporting their team from overseas may have another opportunity to see the black and gold in person coming up soon. The Saints have held exclusive marketing rights in France since 2023, and plans are beginning to take shape that could have them kicking off a regular season from Paris in the near future.
Per WDSU sports director Fletcher Mackel, it could be in the works for as soon as 2025, though Mackel says “probably 2026” is more likely. NFL rules won’t force the Saints to give up a home game until 2030, but it’s possible the team could volunteer for this unique opportunity. Still, you’d like to see them keep all of their home games in New Orleans to show off the extensively remodeled Caesars Superdome.
So where could they be playing that game in France? Mackel points to the 81,000-seat Stade de France as an obvious fit, having recently hosted the closing ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympics, but there are a number of venues the NFL could choose.
The league office is scheduling more and more games to be played abroad as the NFL seeks to expand its international influence with several matchups this year kicking off from London, Munich, and São Paulo in Brazil. Another European game is planned for 2025 from Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, so it could make sense to schedule a Saints game across the board in France to go along with it. Stay tuned.
