Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens Play NFL Game at Maracana Stadium
- The Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens are scheduled to play the NFL's first game in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday at Maracana Stadium.
- The Maracana pitch faced scrutiny for nearly two weeks due to heavy use by Rio clubs Flamengo and Fluminense, who play at the venue at least once a...
- Field director Nick Pappas expressed confidence earlier in the week that players would experience no trouble.
The Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens are scheduled to play the NFL’s first game in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday at Maracana Stadium. Ground crews worked through Saturday to trim the turf less than 30 hours before kickoff, utilizing mows and scissors to perfect the playing surface following concerns over its condition during the long Brazilian football season.
Turf Conditions and Safety Concerns at Maracana Stadium
The Maracana pitch faced scrutiny for nearly two weeks due to heavy use by Rio clubs Flamengo and Fluminense, who play at the venue at least once a week. The NFL Players Association executive director stated on Friday that experts from both the league and the players union monitored the field conditions ahead of the matchup. The union’s experts expressed worry that loose turf could cause excessive slipping, prompting the NFL to reinforce its stitching and make additional improvements by Saturday.
Field director Nick Pappas expressed confidence earlier in the week that players would experience no trouble. On Saturday, Pappas told reporters that things check out and there is no need to worry.
“Things check out,” Pappas said. “No need to worry.”
Nick Pappas, NFL Field Director
NFL International Growth and Prior Brazil Fixtures
Sunday’s fixture marks an NFL regular-season game hosted in Brazil since the league began playing there in 2024. The two previous contests took place at the 48,000-seat NeoQuimica Arena in Sao Paulo. In the first year of the Brazil game, turf criticism forced players from the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers to change their cleats to prevent slipping. Unlike the NeoQuimica Arena—which features a hybrid mixture of natural and synthetic grass that players in Brazil deem to be the country’s best pitch—the Maracana field consists entirely of 100 percent natural grass.
Team Preparations and Fan Arrival in Rio de Janeiro
Both the Cowboys and the Ravens arrived in Rio on Friday following approximately 10-hour flights, beginning their local preparations immediately. Dak Prescott, his Cowboys teammates, and the team cheerleaders toured the stadium on Friday morning. Amidst the athletic preparations, traveling fans from Texas focused more on local dining options than the pitch conditions.
George Smith, a 72-year-old Cowboys fan visiting from Texas, expressed confidence that any obstacles will be easily overcome because these boys have played in very bad conditions growing up. My main priority right now is securing my beef today instead of waiting until tomorrow before the kickoff.
Travelers from across South America congregated in Rio’s southern district near Copacabana beach, where Cowboys supporters noticeably outnumbered Ravens fans. Brazil remains the sole South American host country for NFL fixtures, contributing to a record nine international games scheduled across the league this season.