The NFL season isn’t here yet, but it’s almost that time. The schedule is about to be released on Thursday, May 14th, but the Pittsburgh Steelers got confirmation of one game on their schedule early. In Week Seven, the Steelers will head to France to take on the New Orleans Saints as part of the NFL International Series. It will be the first time that the NFL has played a game in France, and it will be a good one.
The October 25th matchup between the Steelers and Saints is set to be played at Stade de France. It’s the biggest stadium in France and the eighth largest in Europe, seating around 81,000 people for football and rugby events. It’s a hybrid grass surface that hosts the French National team for multiple sports. The stadium opened in 1998 and came in with a bang. The French defeated the defending champion Brazil in the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final at Stade de France.
Stade de France has hosted legends such as AC/DC, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, and Prince. Now, it will host the Steelers and Saints. Both teams are expected to have a large fan turnout for the game, as both cities have French ties. The Saints sport the fleur-de-lis logo, and the city of Pittsburgh loves to put French fries on everything.
This is the second consecutive season that the Steelers will play a game overseas. Last season, they played in Dublin, and it was a huge success. They beat the Minnesota Vikings 24-21, and D.K. Metcalf gave the Irish crowd a show with his 80-yard touchdown. Now, the NFL is tasking them with putting on a show in France. With a fanbase as big as Pittsburgh, it’s easy to see why the NFL chooses them for these showcase events.
The Steelers and Saints have met 17 times throughout NFL history, with the Saints having the advantage at 9-8. Pittsburgh won the most recent matchup in 2022 by a score of 20-10 on a cold day in the Steel City. That was a different Steelers team. George Pickens and Kenny Pickett led the way with a rushing touchdown each, as Matthew Wright filled in for Chris Boswell and hit two field goals. Despite New Orleans leading the all-time series, Pittsburgh has outscored them 375-330 in the 17 games.
The first matchup between the two teams came in 1967, the same year that McDonald’s introduced the Big Mac. Lyndon B. Johnson was the president, and the Vietnam War raged on. Super Bowl I was played in the same year, with the Green Bay Packers defeating the Kansas City Chiefs. Fast forward 59 years, and the Steelers and Saints are slated to meet up across the pond. The NFL has come a long way.
Nobody knows who the Pittsburgh quarterback will be in 2026, but the rabid defense will get its first chance to see exciting second-year quarterback Tyler Shough of the Saints. He looked dangerous last season, and now he has Jordyn Tyson alongside Chris Olave to throw to. Former Steeler Beanie Bishop will seek revenge on his former team after he serves a three-game suspension to start the season. This game will be exciting.
Many Steelers fans hate the international games, but it’s a unique opportunity to take football to the fans all across the world. Look out for Pittsburgh tight end Pat Freiermuth in this game, as it falls on his birthday. This game will mark new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy’s first time in an international game. The scene won’t be as Pittsburgh-centric as Dublin was in 2025, but it will be a cool day for European fans of American football. C’est parti, les Steelers!
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