Browns, Saints reportedly will be part of historic game during 2026 NFL season

Both the Cleveland Browns and the New Orleans Saints are in the early days of their offseasons after the clubs finished the 2025 campaign with losing records. 

The full NFL schedule for next season won't be released until later this spring, but it appears that Browns and Saints fans can begin making plans for an overseas trip during the fall. 

How Browns, Saints reportedly will make history during 2026 NFL season

As shared by The Times-Picayune, RMC Sport reported over the weekend that the Saints will face the Browns at Stade de France in Paris on Oct. 25, 2026. Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk noted that will be the NFL’s first game in France.

Typically, the NFL regular season begins with a kickoff game held on the Thursday after Labor Day. This year, Labor Day is on Sept. 7. 

The Browns went 5-12 this past season before they fired head coach Kevin Stefanski and ultimately replaced him with former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Meanwhile, the Saints went 6-11 in their first season under head coach Kellen Moore. Moore helped quarterback and 2025 second-round draft pick Tyler Shough become a finalist for the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. 

As for the Browns, they may start 2025 fifth-round draft choice and Pro Bowl replacement Shedeur Sanders against New Orleans. It's also possible that the Browns' QB1 for the game in France isn't on their roster as of the first Monday of February. 

Browns, Saints part of NFL's ongoing worldwide expansion

The Los Angeles Rams are set to participate in the NFL's first-ever regular-season game in Australia later this year. In January, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft acknowledged that the league's long-term goal is to have "every team" play at least one game "overseas" each campaign. Such a development would strip pockets of season-ticket holders of a home contest each year, but the NFL will likely account for that loss by expanding the regular season to 18 games either before or after the collective bargaining agreement expires in 2031. 

The NFL and the NFL Players Association could discuss such a schedule shift during upcoming offseason meetings.