The NFL evidently liked how Pittsburgh Steelers fans traveled for their inaugural game in Dublin, Ireland, last season. It appears Pittsburgh will debut another international market for the NFL this year. According to Ozzy on X, the Steelers will play the New Orleans Saints in Week 7 for the NFL’s first-ever game in Paris, France.
NFL Schedule News 🇫🇷
The Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints will face off in the inaugural NFL Paris Game at the Stade de France, per sources.
The first-ever NFL game in France is set for October 25th – Week 7, with kickoff at 9:30 AM EST. pic.twitter.com/M8JTkJtTpI
— Ozzy (@OzzyNFL) May 12, 2026
The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo confirmed this report on X.
“Hearing this is accurate,” he wrote. “The Steelers are headed to Paris this season.”
The official announcement comes on Wednesday at 9:00 AM ET.
The NFL will reveal the full schedule on May 14, this Thursday, but leaks are already starting. According to the report, this game will be Week 7 on Oct. 25th at 9:30 AM ET. at Stade de France, where the French National Football and Rugby Union teams play. The venue is no stranger to hosting major international events.
The Saints, whose Fleur-De-Lis symbol is of French origin, were confirmed to be the Paris host team earlier this offseason. With the Jacksonville Jaguars protecting their home game against the Steelers, Pittsburgh couldn’t have a game in London. By way of their other away opponents on the schedule, the New Orleans game was the last possible international game that the Steelers could play.
If it’s anything like last year, this means the Steelers will have a Week 8 bye immediately following their international game. Last year, Pittsburgh played in Ireland in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings and had an early bye in Week 5. If that pattern holds up, Pittsburgh will have an ideal bye in the middle of the season compared to the early one last year.
Pittsburgh’s first international game in London did not go well in 2013. The team had severe jet lag and played like it was half-asleep. Last year was different as an energized, Steelers-friendly crowd powered the team to a 24-21 win over the Vikings.
This time, the Saints may have the upper hand in terms of fan bases, so Pittsburgh will need to find other ways to tap into that energy. The NFL’s global markets program awarded France to the Saints.
It’s rumored that Pittsburgh will play in Mexico City in 2027. If that happens, it would be three years in a row for Steelers international games. The NFL’s long-term goal is for every team to play at least one every season. Maybe this has already begun for Pittsburgh.