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Trump says NFL 'could've probably postponed' Paris game as France protests stretch police thin

24 October 2026 at 00:26

President Donald Trump is skeptical about the National Football League continuing to hold its first-ever game in Paris amid protests.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints are still set to kick off Sunday despite the civil unrest and a Paris Saint-Germain soccer game the same day being postponed.

Paris police requested a postponement of the PSG game because police and security resources are stretched thin due to mass protests, ongoing civil unrest and France's first NFL game happening in the region, per multiple reports.

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The NFL said in a reply to an email from OutKick and Fox News Digital that the PSG game did not impact any potential decision to move the Steelers-Saints game. However, Trump said the NFL "could've probably postponed that match."

"It's looking like tomorrow is going to be a bad day in France, so you worry about it. I would've said the NFL could've probably postponed that match... France is really in trouble," Trump told reporters on Friday.

Trump then took a shot at Democratic policies.

"That's what happens when you go left. That's what happens when you allow unlimited numbers of people into your country from very unfriendly countries."

The NFL has insisted multiple times this week that Sunday's game in France will be safe to play and safe for fans to attend amid civil unrest. However, the Steelers canceled a fan event in the area.

According to a league source, the topics discussed at the two-hour gathering included security for the game, the readiness of the Stade de France, where the game is to be played and the growth of flag football in France.

Organizers of the Paris protest told the Associated Press that an administrative court overturned a protest ban issued by police after they challenged it. The Paris prefecture previously said the ban was necessary, given the risk of street violence after groups of masked youth clashed with officers, looted shops and torched cars over the weekend.

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The organizers signed a police document stating that the protest would remain stationary due to the risk of violence.

Earlier this week, Dani Watt, the wife of Steelers defensive end TJ Watt, questioned publicly why the game has not been moved.

"Tell me how this one makes sense???" Watt posted.

The NFL on Thursday told OutKick that its own NFL Fan House event scheduled for Friday and Saturday remains as scheduled.

"It's happening," a league spokesman said.

On Wednesday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he would attend the game and had spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in recent days about moving forward with it.

Rubio told OutKick that the American embassy in France believes the game "will be fine."

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OutKick's Armando Salguero contributed to this report.

France's top soccer team obeys police order to move Sunday match; Saints, Steelers owners meet with Macron

23 October 2026 at 21:00

It may be starting to get redundant but, "Yes," the NFL game between the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers remains on track, a league spokesman told OutKick and Fox News Digital on Friday.

The question came up – again – because the most successful soccer team in France on Friday announced it has postponed its match on Sunday in Paris under police orders.

Paris-Saint Germain issued a statement that said it has "taken note" of the order from the Paris Police Prefecture prohibiting the organization of the Paris Saint-Germain-Olympique Lyonnais match.

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"Accordingly, we inform you that the match between the two clubs, originally scheduled for this Sunday, October 25, has been postponed to Monday, October 26, at 8:30 p.m. at the Parc des Princes," the club said in a statement.

The Paris police requested the change because police and security resources are stretched thin due to mass protests, ongoing civil unrest, and France's first NFL game happening in the region, per multiple reports.

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That NFL game remains as scheduled on Sunday starting at 9:30 a.m. in the United States.

The NFL said so in reply to an email from OutKick and Fox News Digital asking whether and how its decision to play on Sunday is impacted by the decision by PSG.

It's not.

And that is quite clear considering NFL elites and the French government expect the game to go on. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Saints owner Gayle Benson and Steelers owner Art Rooney II met with French President Emmanuel Macron for a luncheon meeting Friday at the Élysée Palace in Paris.

According to a league source, the topics discussed at the two-hour gathering included security for the game, the readiness of the Stade de France, where the game is to be played, and the growth of flag football in France.

The fact the French President met with the highest representatives from both squads and there has been no change in the status of the game suggests this thing is going to happen come heck or high rioting.

And on that front, it seems Saturday is a key day because protests which may or may not evolve into wider civil unrest are planned for that day.

Organizers of the Paris protest told the Associated Press that an administrative court overturned a protest ban issued by police after they challenged it. The Paris prefecture previously said the ban was necessary, given the risk of street violence after groups of masked youth clashed with officers, looted shops and torched cars over the weekend.

The organizers signed a police document stating that the protest would remain stationary due to the risk of violence.

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More bans were expected in the coming days. Macron previously said ban measures aim to protect city centers, businesses and public buildings.

Macron said after a special security meeting at the Elysée Palace that the strategy adopted for the coming days is to ban protests requested by "individuals or groups with no legitimate authority."

"The rules are simple, and I think they’re just common sense. The general recommendation is that there should be no demonstrations in the coming days," he said. "For those who still want to protest, if they are trade unions, prefects will propose alternative routes."

Macron blamed last weekend's violence on "actions led by radical far-left groups who aimed to bring the Republic down," in addition to criminals who came to loot.

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FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO

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