Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images/ Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott over the Brazilian flag on grass
Rio de Janeiro will serve as the site of an NFL game for the first time when the Cowboys and the Ravens head to Brazil for a showdown on September 27th. However, there are some concerns about the field where the game will unfold after some soccer players sounded off about the quality of the turf at Maracanã Stadium.
In 2024, the NFL made its grand debut in Brazil when the Packers and the Eagles faced off at Arena Corinthians in São Paulo. That contest spawned some concerns over safety and security and some drama over the color green, but it went off without a hitch before the same venue hosted the Chiefs and the Chargers the following year.
Two more teams will be heading down to Brazil this season, but the action will shift to Rio de Janeiro when the Cowboys and the Ravens meet at Maracanã Stadium on Sunday.
That building is normally home to a different kind of football, and the NFL doesn’t seem particularly concerned about the issues raised by the soccer players who’ve recently called attention to a lackluster playing surface.
The NFL has no plans to abandon the Ravens-Cowboys game in Brazil over potential field issues
Maracanã Stadium serves as the home of Fluminense and Flamengo, two Rio-based teams that currently sit near and at the top, respectively, of the Série A table.
According to Front Office Sports, multiple players who represent the latter have gotten increasingly fed up with the field at the venue, which was admittedly looking a bit rough when the team earned a 2-1 victory over Red Bull Bragantino a week before Baltimore and Dallas are slated to play there.
Flamengo goalie Agustín Rossi noted “there are bumps everywhere” while bemoaning the state of the turf, and midfielder Giorgian De Arrascaeta bluntly stated “We can’t be playing on a field like this” while saying it “keeps getting worse.”
The NFL does not seem particularly worried, as a spokesperson told the outlet the league “has a plan in place to ensure a high-quality playing surface.” It has also been communicating with the NFLPA, but all signs currently point to both teams heading down to Rio as scheduled.
In 2018, similar concerns at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City led to the NFL pulling the plug on the game between the Chiefs and the Rams, which was moved to Los Angeles. That decision was made six days before they were supposed to play south of the border, so we’ll have to see how this situation ends up unfolding.