Saints Finalizing Deal to Play Game in Paris in 2026

New Orleans holds enhanced marketing rights for France.
The Saints appear set for their fourth-ever international trip.
The Saints appear set for their fourth-ever international trip. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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For the Saints, the 2026 season appears set to take on a Francophone flavor.

New Orleans is finalizing a deal to play a game in Paris next year, according to a Wednesday morning report from ESPN's Adam Schefter that cited Saints president Dennis Lauscha.

"The NFL and stadium officials in Paris are working to finalize a deal to bring the Saints to Paris, with an announcement likely in the coming weeks," Schefter wrote.

A New Orleans game in Paris would make more sense than most NFL international games on multiple levels. The Saints hold enhanced marketing rights for France, while the city of New Orleans has long maintained a significant connection to its French origins. In addition, thousands of Louisianans speak a local dialect of the French language.

The Saints have played three previous international games, all in London. They beat the Chargers 37–32 in 2008 and the Dolphins 20–0 in 2017, before losing 28–25 to the Vikings in 2022.


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PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .