It has been expected for years, very strongly anticipated for several months, and now official since Monday. In 2026, the Stade de France will host an NFL match, an acronym for the very powerful American football league in the United States, a first on French soil awaited by millions of fans of this sport.
The NFL, for the sake of coordinating the announcement with the unveiling of its 2026 calendar in the spring, has not yet given a precise date, but the meeting will take place in the fall, on October 25 according to several sources. If we know that the New Orleans Saints will be present, the League formally denies to Parisien-Aujourd’hui in France having confirmed the identity of the opponent of the Louisiana franchise, while several media announce that it will be the Cleveland Browns.
“An exciting new stage”
If London hosted the first NFL match outside North America in 2007, France had not yet been served, while Germany, and more recently Ireland and Spain, had the opportunity to host the event. “The organization of a regular season match in Paris in 2026 marks an exciting new step in the continued international expansion of the league,” said NFL boss Roger Goodell.
“Paris is one of the greatest sporting and cultural capitals in the world, recognized for its success in hosting major international events that bring fans together on the biggest stages,” continues the leader of the League. Playing our first ever regular season match at Stade de France, alongside the New Orleans Saints, illustrates our continued ambitions for growth on a global scale, and we look forward to bringing the NFL to our passionate fans in France. »
For the moment, we also do not know the sale price of tickets for the meeting. As an indication, the cheapest general public tickets when the NFL came to Dublin in September sold for 80 euros.
The arrival of the NFL in Paris was one of the strong wishes of GL Events, manager of the Stade de France since August. The negotiations lasted several months, and involved the State, but also the cities of Paris and Saint-Denis.
The announcement of this meeting comes less than a week before the Super Bowl. The League final will pit the New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks on February 8.
