NFL Confident in Security for Inaugural France Game Amidst Civil Unrest
League remains vigilant and prepared for contingencies despite ongoing protests near Paris.
The NFL stated Tuesday that all preparations for its first-ever regular-season game in France are proceeding as planned, with the league expressing confidence in its operational and security measures. This assurance comes despite recent civil unrest in the country.
"We're obviously being very vigilant in everything we do and all of our planning on an hour-by-hour basis, working closely with our two teams," said NFL Executive Vice President for Club Business and International, Peter O’Reilly. "We've got confidence in the plans both from an ops and security standpoint."
O’Reilly acknowledged that the league maintains contingency plans for every game, including potential relocation or postponement. However, he emphasized that discussions regarding such options for the France game have not reached a critical stage.
"We have never been close to that point," O'Reilly stated. "As you know, we've always got contingency plans for every game, every single one of them. But no, we were not at that point at any point in the conversation."
The league's confidence stems from the security team's presence on the ground and close collaboration with Stade de France, a venue that has hosted major international events, including the Olympic Games.
"Our team's been on the ground, security team's been on the ground, and obviously, working in close partnership with Stade de France, which is a world class stadium, hosted world class events, most recently the Olympic Games," O'Reilly said.
The NFL has consistently implemented robust security measures for all its events, and O'Reilly assured that this presence will be heightened with the involvement of local authorities to ensure the safety of teams, fans, and all participants.
"So extremely vigilant as we always are. As I said, confident in all of those plans as we head towards Sunday," he concluded.