NFL closes its Paris fan house as the city braces for street protests before Steelers-Saints

The NFL closed its NFL House fan venue in Paris on Saturday as the French capital braced for street protests, with a heavy police presence and boarded-up storefronts across the city.

The league told fans about the closure Saturday morning through its OnePass app and cited potential accessibility issues. It shut its pop-up shop in the city center a day earlier for the same reason. Fans can still shop at an alternative store set up at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of the city.

The New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers meet Sunday at Stade de France in the NFL's first regular-season game in France.

More events moved

The Saints said their Saints House event was postponed until Sunday. NFL House had planned two sessions for Saturday, called "French Athletes in Football" and "From the Field to the Community."

A weekend event for Steelers fans was canceled Thursday because of security concerns.

A city on alert

Major museums including the Louvre and the Orsay Museum were closed Saturday, though tourists still lined up to get into Notre Dame Cathedral. French authorities are determined to prevent a repeat of recent violent unrest.

The U.S. State Department issued a security alert this week that urged Americans in Paris for the game to exercise caution and stay aware of their surroundings.

League stays confident

Commissioner Roger Goodell said this week that plans were made with U.S. and French authorities. Street protests, he said, "are not unusual in France."

On Friday French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Goodell, Saints owner Gayle Benson and Steelers owner Art Rooney II at the Élysée Palace to talk about Sunday's game and the long-term future of the NFL in Paris.