The Cleveland Browns will not be making history in Paris after all. Months of speculation had linked the Browns to a groundbreaking international matchup against the New Orleans Saints in the NFL's first-ever game in France, but new reports have confirmed a different team will take the spotlight.

According to a well-known schedule leaker and later confirmed by Cleveland.com, it will be the Pittsburgh Steelers—the Browns' fiercest rival—who face the Saints at Stade de France in Week 7 of the 2026 season. The game is scheduled for October 25th at 9:30 AM EST, marking a historic moment for the league in Europe. The false reports originated from French radio network RMC back in February, but the real story has now emerged.

For Browns fans, this might feel like a missed opportunity, but there was still a chance Cleveland could have landed an international game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags are set to play back-to-back games in London during Weeks 5 and 6, but according to schedule leaks, their opponents will be the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans—not the Browns.

The NFL has been slowly unveiling its 2026 international slate, and Thursday's full schedule release promises to bring more clarity. The nine-game international lineup kicks off with a historic Week 1 matchup in Melbourne, Australia, between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers. All three of the Browns' AFC North rivals—the Steelers, Ravens, and Bengals—are included in the international schedule, but Cleveland itself appears to be staying stateside.

While the Browns won't be packing their bags for Paris or London, the international expansion of the NFL continues to grow, and the league's global footprint is stronger than ever. For now, Cleveland fans can focus on the regular season and perhaps dream of a future trip abroad.