The NFL says it is "all systems go" as it prepares to make its historic debut in Paris on Sunday amid ongoing riots around the French capital. New Orleans Saints will serve as the designated home team when they honour their French ties against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the nation's first regular-season game at Stade de France, live on Sky Sports NFL from 1pm. It comes after civil unrest broke out across Paris over the weekend as peaceful protests were overshadowed by masked activists and vandals turning to violence and looting.
Brett Gosper, the NFL's head of Europe and Asia-Pacific, said the league is prioritising the safety of fans and the two travelling teams, but envisions no disruption to the game. "It hasn't impacted it, but obviously we're keeping a good eye on that and we're in very constant daily contact with the French authorities on it," Gosper told Sky Sports. "We're not seeing our events being disrupted at this point in time and we certainly don't feel the game will be disrupted.
So we're all systems go on the game for this Sunday." Saints tight end Juwan Johnson this week said some family members were undecided as to whether they would make the trip to Paris, while Steelers safety Jaquan Brisker described the scenes in France as "crazy". "Obviously, safety of fans and players is the high priority, and we're not going to put anyone at risk in that sense, which is why the information we're getting is very important," Gosper added. "And for the moment, it's indicating that things are good for us to go into this game in the right way." New Orleans' connection to France dates back to 1718 when the city was founded by the French as La Nouvelle-Orléans, before becoming the capital of French Louisiana in 1722.
It was two French engineers who would lay out the first 66 squares of a walled village that later became the iconic French Quarter. The city would preserve its French DNA throughout 40 years of Spanish rule, teaching in French and adopting French culture. Even today New Orleans celebrates Bastille Day in honour of its French roots.
"There's a great alignment of culture and history between the Saints hosting a game here in the French market, for sure," said Gosper. "It's something that's not gone unnoticed by the French public. At every level, they know that connection.
"It's not like you have to be a history buff in France to understand that connection. It's understood and it's great for the Saints. They're the only team at the moment operating in the global market program, for the moment that makes them the team of France or the French team.
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