Armed police walked around New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers fans gathered outside Stade de France in Paris before the start of the first NFL game in France on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.
The scene unfolded in France in Paris, where the buildup to the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers game had the feel of a major occasion but also the unmistakable presence of security. For readers searching where to watch New Orleans Saints vs Pittsburgh Steelers, this was the atmosphere outside the stadium before kickoff: celebratory, crowded and closely watched.
The image was taken by staff photographer CHRIS GRANGER for The Advocate, and it captured a moment that fit the scale of the day. This was not just another NFL crowd. It was the first NFL game in France, and the setting outside Stade de France made that plain.
What the photo did not explain was why armed police were moving among the fans. Their presence added a harder edge to a scene built around travel, football and anticipation. The game itself was still ahead, and the image leaves that question hanging as the crowd waits for kickoff.
That is what gives the photograph its force. It shows the unusual mix of sport and security that comes with an event of this size in Paris, and it does so before the game even begins.
