NFL closes Paris store Saturday; Rodgers says game would not go ahead if unsafe

The National Football League (NFL) said on Friday that its pop-up store in Paris would be closed on Saturday. The announcement came ahead of the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, 25 October.

According to Reuters, the store is closing because of planned demonstrations in the French capital. A France 24 report, produced with Reuters, does not give a reason for the closure.

The US State Department issued a security alert calling on US citizens to "avoid demonstrations and areas of unrest". It also said: "Americans in Paris for the NFL game on Sunday, October 25 should also exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings". According to France 24, the alert was issued on Thursday night.

Bad weather also disrupted plans. The NFL said its "NFL Experience Paris" fan site was closed for the rest of Friday due to adverse weather. The Saints said there would be no media viewing portion of a practice because of elevated wind and rain conditions, in accordance with local authorities.

Background

According to France 24, the game will be played at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, about 10 kilometres from central Paris. It is the NFL's first regular-season game in Paris.

France 24 reported that France experienced some of its worst urban unrest in years last weekend. It said President Emmanuel Macron tightened curbs on protests on Thursday amid fears that demonstrations planned for Saturday could turn violent. New nationwide demonstrations are planned for Saturday, the outlet reported.

According to France 24, the Steelers told fans on Thursday that a "Steelers House" event in the Bastille neighbourhood would not go ahead. The reports do not state why.

The Steelers landed in France on Friday morning, according to France 24. They cancelled a training session at the Stade de France due to bad weather and moved their press conference to their Paris hotel. The Saints arrived on Monday and have been practising in Versailles. Storm Austen has hit part of France, and Meteo France issued orange alerts for much of the northwest, including the Paris region, France 24 reported.

What each side says

Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said at a press conference on Friday: "I definitely think that the NFL is alert to what's going on". France 24 also quoted him as saying: "This game means a lot to the NFL. If it was unsafe, then I'm sure we wouldn't be here."

Steelers fan Fred Zelt told Reuters: "We saw (last Saturday) a march of probably several hundred students. It was completely peaceful". He said he is not overly worried, though shops are now boarding up windows.

Saints fan Fabian Bauer, from Germany, was quoted by France 24 as saying: "We had a long discussion about whether we should come here or not". He said most fans considered it likely to be safe, especially on Sunday.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include an NFL statement on security plans for the game, comments from French authorities, or details of the new protest restrictions.

Analysis

Preparations for the game are being shaped by two separate pressures: planned demonstrations and severe weather. Both have already cancelled or closed fan events. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi trace largely to a single origin, Reuters, so independent confirmation is limited. Without public statements from the NFL or French authorities on security plans, it is unclear how organisers would respond if Saturday's demonstrations escalate or the storm persists. Possible scenarios range from the game proceeding as scheduled to further changes to surrounding events. Fan accounts suggest mixed but largely calm perceptions on the ground, which may or may not reflect wider conditions.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.