NFL Finalizes Maracana Stadium Field Preparations for Rio Debut

NFL field director Nick Pappas stated that additional improvements have been made to the Maracana Stadium turf following concerns regarding traction and stability.

NFL field director Nick Pappas announced Saturday that additional improvements have been made to the Maracana Stadium turf ahead of Sunday's game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens. Workers used mowers and scissors to level high grass at the Rio de Janeiro venue less than 30 hours before kickoff. The league reinforced the field's stitching to address concerns from the NFL Players Association regarding loose turf, traction, and potential slipping.

The 100% natural grass surface has been under scrutiny for two weeks due to a heavy Brazilian soccer schedule involving local clubs Flamengo and Fluminense. While previous NFL games in Brazil were held at Sao Paulo's NeoQuimica Arena, which features a hybrid natural-synthetic pitch, this matchup marks the first league contest in Rio. The Cowboys and Ravens arrived in the city on Friday following 10-hour flights and are scheduled to conduct their first stadium visits late Saturday.

This matchup is one of a record nine international games on the NFL schedule this season. Despite the union's experts monitoring the conditions, Pappas told journalists that "things check out" and there is "no need to worry" about the playing surface. The league previously faced turf criticism during a 2024 game in Sao Paulo where players were forced to change cleats to maintain footing.