France to host first NFL regular-season game at Stade de France in 2026
The US’s National American Football League has over 14 million fans in France
An NFL game will be played in France for the first time this year however full details are yet to be announced
Joseph Hendrickson/Shutterstock
The Stade de France will host an NFL match this year, marking the American football league’s first game on French turf.
“Bringing a regular-season game to Paris in 2026 marks an exciting next step in the continued expansion of the league’s global footprint,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a press release published yesterday (February 2).
“Paris is one of the world’s greatest sporting and cultural cities with tremendous success in hosting global events that unite fans on the biggest stages… we look forward to bringing the NFL to our passionate fans in France,” added Mr Goodell.
The New Orleans Saints has been confirmed as one of the participating teams, however final details including the opponent, date and kick-off time will be revealed when the 2026 NFL schedule is announced this spring.
It is thought that the match will take place in the autumn, on October 25, according to sources including Le Parisien.
Ticket prices for the match are currently unknown but the general admission for the NFL's visit to Dublin in September 2025 ranged from €85 to €495.
American football in France
The NFL and American football has a growing presence in France with over 14 million fans, according to the organisation’s press release.
The official youth flag football program (centred around the non-contact format of the game) launched in France in 2023, reaching over 8,000 young people, with plans to grow in the years ahead as the game is set to make its debut as an Olympic sport in 2028.
The Fédération Française de Football Américain (FFFA), founded in 1985, organises a series of annual American football and flag football championships, as well as the French cheerleading championships.
It has described the upcoming Paris NFL match as “the result of incredible teamwork between the NFL, the FFFA, the French government, the Stade de France, and their partners.”
“Get ready to enjoy the American experience on French ground,” stated the FFFA in a Facebook post.
France also has an American football team in the European League of Football - the Paris Musketeers.
The team’s COO, Sebastian Stolz, described the NFL as a “marketing monster,” during an interview with The Connexion last year. He explained that French audiences are gradually opening up to American football, even though it has not been developed to the same extent as in Germany or Austria where “it is one of the biggest sports.”
A total of 62 regular-season NFL games have been played in international locations, with the first match held outside of North America taking place in London in 2007.
International matches for 2026 have also been confirmed in Melbourne (Australia), Rio De Janeiro (Brazil), Munich (Germany), Madrid (Spain) as well as three games in London.
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