Antoine Griezmann Backs NFL’s 2026 Paris Game as Negotiations Advance

On November 16, French football star Antoine Griezmann attended an NFL regular-season game at Santiago Bernabeu stadium between the Washington Commanders and Miami Dolphins, marking his first live experience of an NFL match in Spain. Griezmann expressed a strong desire to see an NFL game hosted in Paris, describing it as a "romantic match" and reflecting the aspirations of many American football fans in France.

Negotiations between the NFL and GL Events, the management company of Stade de France, are reportedly progressing towards hosting an NFL game in Paris as soon as 2026. Since 2007, the NFL has expanded its international games primarily in London and more recently in Germany, Dublin, and Madrid, indicating a strategic push into European markets. The New Orleans Saints, who hold exclusive marketing rights in France and Monaco, are considered a likely franchise to participate in the Paris event.

NFL vice president Peter O’Reilly has shown interest in France as a host market, and an official announcement about the Paris game may come by spring 2024 alongside the release of the 2026 NFL season schedule. This development signifies a meaningful step in bringing American football to a prominent French venue, supported by both league officials and influential sports figures like Griezmann.