The Saints won't be the only New Orleans sports franchise taking their games internationally in the near future.
The New Orleans Pelicans will play a pair of international games against the San Antonio Spurs midway through the 2026-'27 season, news announced by the league Wednesday morning. They'll face off with Spurs, a team led by French superstar Victor Wembenyama, at Accor Arena in Paris on Jan. 14, 2027. They'll then travel to Manchester, England, for a rematch on Jan. 17.
“It is a tremendous honor for the Pelicans to represent the City of New Orleans on a global stage while sharing our culture and the spirit of Louisiana with fans around the world,” said Pelicans Governor Gayle Benson in a news release. “Together with the Saints playing in Paris next season, the opportunity for the Pelicans to play internationally in Paris and Manchester represents another significant step in strengthening our organization’s cultural and economic ties in these regions. These global events reflect the growing impact of football and basketball internationally, and the NBA’s continued efforts to inspire the next generation of fans across Europe. We are grateful to Commissioner Adam Silver to be included in the NBA’s ongoing global expansion.”
The Pelicans also made news this week by hiring Jamahl Mosley as their next head coach. It'll be the second consecutive season with an international trip for New Orleans, with the team also playing a pair of exhibition games in Australia last season.
The game will mark the NBA's 16th in France since 1991, and the 0th featuring an NBA game in England since 1993. In addition to the games, the Pelicans and Spurs will conduct NBA Cares social impact programming focused on health, wellness and sustainability, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA and Her Time to Play youth basketball clinics, coach and referee development programming, and interactive fan activities that will bring the NBA experience to fans in Paris and Manchester.
Both games will be broadcast internationally. Ticket sales and additional information will be announced at a later date.
The news adds to what has become a burgeoning Paris connection for the city of New Orleans and its sports franchises, with the Saints scheduled to take part in the NFL's first Paris game in Week 7 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
