Steelers defeat Saints 16-10 in first NFL regular-season game in Paris — The Japan Times

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the New Orleans Saints 16-10 in the first NFL regular-season game in Paris, France. The game took place at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Sunday, the day after mass protests in the French capital.

As The Japan Times reports, the atmosphere near the arena before the game was calm and festive. The stadium is located about 10 kilometers north of central Paris and more than 13 kilometers from Porte d’Italie, where the demonstrations began on Saturday.

Protests affected fan events

Nationwide protests largely overshadowed preparations for the game. Some NFL events and fan activities were canceled over the weekend, mainly because they were scheduled to take place in central Paris.

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Hundreds of thousands of people took part in demonstrations in France on Saturday. The main rally on the southeastern outskirts of Paris drew at least 110,000 participants protesting against rising living costs and growing inequality. The mostly peaceful rallies in Paris and Marseille escalated into clashes after dark, despite extensive security measures.

Festive atmosphere at Stade de France

On game day, the police presence near the stadium did not appear heightened or unusual. Before the game, French athletes Antoine Dupont and Teddy Riner were introduced to the crowd. Several hours before kickoff, several Steelers players arrived at the arena in suits styled after characters from the series “Peaky Blinders.”

The stands were full, and, according to the publication’s observation, Steelers fans may have outnumbered Saints fans, although the Saints were the nominal home team in the neutral-site game. Nigerian rapper Burna Boy and French singer Yseult performed during halftime.