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NFL kicks off first regular-season game in Paris

· Fact-checked before it aired. Unconfirmed claims from this segment are not shown.

The NFL is playing its first-ever regular-season game in France on Sunday, October 25, 2026, with the Pittsburgh Steelers facing the New Orleans Saints at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, just outside Paris. Kickoff is 9:30 a.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CET), airing on NFL Network and streaming on NFL+. The Saints hold the NFL's marketing rights in France and arrived in Paris on Monday morning ahead of the game.

The NFL has been expanding its international series, and France is its newest market. The Saints' connection to New Orleans—a city with historic French ties—made them the league's designated team for France. Stade de France is a natural venue: it hosted the 1998 World Cup final and 2024 Olympic athletics events and closing ceremony.

Sunday's Steelers-Saints game at Stade de France marks the NFL's first regular-season game in France, kicking off at 9:30 a.m. ET. This is a promotional reveal of the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) trophy for the U.S. Grand Prix; no factual assertion to check.

Reggie Jackson did hit three home runs on three consecutive pitches in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium, earning the "Mr. October" nickname. The date shown is slightly off—it happened on October 18, 1977, not October 24—but the event itself is accurately described.

Sports Illustrated's October 24, 1977 issue covered the Yankees-Dodgers World Series and featured a photo of Dodgers shortstop Bill Russell leaping over Yankees catcher Thurman Munson.

Fact-check

VERIFIED TRUE

Sunday's Steelers-Saints game at Stade de France marks the NFL's first regular-season game in France, kicking off at 9:30 a.m. ET. This is a promotional reveal of the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) trophy for the U.S. Grand Prix; no factual assertion to check.

The first NFL regular-season game in Paris kicks off this morning. https://t.co/Hh2Om0GR79

Original post · Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)

nfl.com POST 2114292633744834955: NOCLAIM n/a

VERIFIED TRUE

Reggie Jackson did hit three home runs on three consecutive pitches in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium, earning the "Mr. October" nickname. The date shown is slightly off—it happened on October 18, 1977, not October 24—but the event itself is accurately described.

Today In 1977: New York #Yankees star Reggie Jackson becomes “Mr. October” when he blasts 3 HRs on 3 consecutive pitches vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium! #MLB #Baseball #History #RepBX #Postseason #WorldSeries https://t.co/Z0BTYovwhW

Original post · Baseball by BSmile (@BSmile)

Baseball Hall of Fame / MLB historical records

VERIFIED TRUE

Sports Illustrated's October 24, 1977 issue covered the Yankees-Dodgers World Series and featured a photo of Dodgers shortstop Bill Russell leaping over Yankees catcher Thurman Munson.

"The World Series" - New York #Yankees vs. Los Angeles #Dodgers (Sports Illustrated - October 24, 1977) Great pic of Bill Russell leaping over a sliding Thurman Munson! #MLB #Baseball #RepBX #WorldSeries https://t.co/J7CKGMRsgC

Original post · Baseball by BSmile (@BSmile)

Sports Illustrated archives

Sources

What the hosts said

MGood morning and happy Sunday. The NFL is in Paris for the first time ever, and Aaron Rodgers is already in midseason press-conference form.
LOf course he is. The guy's been doing this since before half our listeners were born.
MSteelers versus Saints, Stade de France, kickoff 9:30 Eastern. Adam Schefter posted the reminder an hour ago.
LAnd here's what Rodgers said Friday: the league would've cancelled this game if it wasn't safe. Paris has had protests, curfew talk, and what some are calling real unrest.
MThe AP says security has partially overshadowed the buildup, but the NFL says everything's on schedule.
LAnd it should be on. The Saints reportedly have French marketing rights — New Orleans, French history, it adds up.
MStade de France hosted the '98 World Cup final and the Olympics. This place is built for moments like this.
LOn the field? Turnovers decide this one. Steelers are tied for third with ten takeaways. Saints are tied for third in giveaways.
MThat's a polite way of saying the Saints hand the ball over like it's a potluck.
LIf New Orleans drops to two-and-five, the front office might not get its passports back.
MI'm fascinated to see how the Paris crowd reacts. These international games have real juice now.
LNine-thirty in the morning Eastern though. Wake up, coffee, football. Actually not a bad Sunday.
MSpeaking of international — Bayern Munich's Uli Hoeneß just took a very public shot at Liverpool.
LFabrizio Romano posted the quote. Hoeneß says Florian Wirtz would play much better at Bayern than he does at Liverpool.
MHis exact line: 'They haven't integrated him properly at all.' That's... a choice, from a Bayern lifer.
LHe also said in Liverpool, Wirtz is just one among many. At Leverkusen, he got every ball.
MAnd at Bayern he'd get every ball? Come on. That's Hoeneß doing what he does — recruiting through the media.
LIt's also not entirely wrong. Wirtz has been quiet in stretches. But to say he's not integrated? That's a cheap shot.
MRomano says this is from an interview with Welt am Sonntag. Full context's still coming. But Hoeneß doesn't say stuff by accident.
LNo, he's been doing this for forty years. He knows exactly what he's stirring.
MMeanwhile Formula 1's dropping a new trophy for the U.S. Grand Prix at COTA this morning.
LThe official F1 account posted the reveal thirteen minutes ago. No details, just the trophy shot and the hashtag.
MCOTA's always had a distinct look for that race. Austin does its own thing, and I respect it.
LF1's been leaning into American branding hard the last few years. This trophy's gonna be absurd in the best way.
MKnowing COTA, it'll probably have armadillo spikes or a cowboy hat built in.
LAnd then there's baseball history. Forty-nine years ago today, Reggie Jackson hits three home runs on three straight pitches in Game 6 of the World Series.
MThree swings, three bombs, off three different Dodgers pitchers. That's how you become Mr. October.
LBaseball by BSmile posted the anniversary this morning. My favorite detail is that Sports Illustrated cover from that week.
MBill Russell leaping over Thurman Munson. That photo's pure World Series chaos.
LReggie did it at Yankee Stadium, Game Six, and the crowd just lost its mind. You can still feel that energy today.
MNobody's touched that level of postseason dominance since. Not in one game, on that stage.
LMakes you wonder what playoff moment from this year people will be celebrating in 2075.

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