Security concerns are overshadowing the NFL’s debut in France. The NFL told fans via its OnePass app on Saturday morning that the NFL House would not open that day. The league had announced the previous day that it would also close its pop-up NFL Shop in the city center. In both cases, it cited “potential access issues.”

The security situation is overshadowing the NFL’s first regular-season game in France. The New Orleans Saints will face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at the Stade de France, north of Paris in Saint-Denis. The alternative NFL Shop at the Stade de France was expected to remain open despite the closure in the city center.

The Saints also announced Saturday that their planned “Saints House” had been postponed until Sunday. Events scheduled at the NFL House included “French Athletes in Football” and “From the Field to the Community.” Visitors were also supposed to have the chance to see the Lombardi Trophy.

Several major museums were also closed, including the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay. Notre Dame Cathedral, however, remained open to tourists. French authorities sought to prevent a repeat of recent violent unrest. The U.S. State Department had urged American citizens in Paris to exercise caution and stay aware of their surroundings because of the protests.

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said preparations had been made in coordination with U.S. and French authorities. Street protests are “not unusual” in France, he said. On Friday, Goodell met at the Élysée Palace with French President Emmanuel Macron, Saints owner Gayle Benson and Steelers owner Art Rooney II. They discussed Sunday’s game and the NFL’s long-term future in Paris.

Fans Adjust Their Plans

Visitors on the ground also had to adjust their plans to the situation and the last-minute changes. Nick Paiva, an American living in France, had planned to visit the NFL House so his French partner could learn more about football. He had also registered for “Hail Mary over the Seine,” an event where fans were supposed to throw a football across the Seine near Notre Dame.

Paiva was turned away at the venue, however, because a reservation for a specific time slot was required in addition to registration. He said that information had not been communicated clearly enough. One French teenager was able to take part: Oskar Le Gall, from Brittany, narrowly missed the opposite bank while wearing a Bryce Young jersey. A staff member later retrieved the footballs from the river with a long net.

Le Gall described the atmosphere around the NFL in Paris as impressive, but also pointed to the protests. During the event, 11 police vans with flashing lights drove along the road above the venue. “It doesn’t feel calm or good to be a tourist in Paris,” Le Gall said. “That’s not good for the NFL.”

Steelers fan Monika Allen said she was able to avoid protest areas thanks to tips from fan-run Facebook groups. Members kept one another updated on which places to visit and which to avoid. Allen wore a black Steelers jersey bearing Terry Bradshaw’s name alongside her Hungarian cousin, Viktor Toth. She said she was not concerned, noting that protests happen regularly in Paris.