NFL Touched Down in Paris Last Week, Here’s What Happened
Hosting pop-ups, activations, and workshops in the run-up to the Steelers vs. Saints game.
Last Sunday, the first-ever NFL game in France took place at Stade de France. A landmark moment for American football, the league made sure to mark its arrival with a jam-packed schedule of events, retail pop-ups, and fan-zone activations around Paris.
The week kicked off with the opening of a dedicated NFL Shop presented by American Express in Galerie Joseph. As a temporary home for all things NFL, the pop-up brought Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints team merch to the central Marais district, as well as limited-edition collaborations from Fear of God, Peace Collective, and other streetwear labels.
For those looking to explore more American football-inspired fashion, Citadium transformed its space with a New Era activation, where New Orleans Saints star Cameron Jordan popped by for a meet-and-greet. Elsewhere at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, Sweet Pants unveiled its NFL-focused streetwear, while Casablanca and PSG also brought their French heritage to collections displayed at their flagship stores.
Later in the week, the league teamed up with Adobe to launch the NFL House. Taking over Pavillon Cambon-Caulines, the 1,600 m² space was curated with exhibits of memorabilia, including the Super Bowl rings and the Vince Lombardi Trophy, while hands-on workshops set out to immerse fans in the cultural side of American football.
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Continuing to wave the NFL flag across Paris, several iconic locations played host to special activations. The Eiffel Tower, for example, welcomed a new installation by Louisiana-born artist Jammie Holmes. As part of the “COLOR FIELD” project, the piece framed a football field at the foot of the monument with hand-painted end zones. At Seine, a Hail Mary contest caught the attention of onlookers as players attempted to get the ball over the river in excitement for the long-awaited game.
The celebrations culminated on Sunday with the Steelers vs. Saints face-off. Over 78,000 fans were in attendance, and thousands more tuned in, turning the debut NFL game in France into a global moment for the sport. After the first half, Burna Boy took the field for a headline show, performing hits “Ye,” “On the Low,” and “4 Kampe.” As the second half kicked off, the Saints hoped to flip the lead but fell short as the Steelers took the victory.
Take a look back at a week of NFL in France via the gallery above.
You can find out more about NFL fixtures on the league’s website.
