Even with less than thirty hours remaining before kickoff, crews were still busy fine‑tuning the playing surface at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracana Stadium on Saturday. The stadium is set to host the NFL’s inaugural match in the city, pitting the Dallas Cowboys against the Baltimore Ravens.
The condition of the Maracana pitch has been under scrutiny for nearly two weeks. A grueling Brazilian football calendar, in which local giants Flamengo and Fluminense each call the venue home for weekly fixtures, has left the turf uneven and worn. As a result, the league’s officials have been closely monitoring the field’s readiness for the upcoming American football contest. Workers equipped with a range of mowing tools—from industrial‑size rotary mowers to handheld grass shears—were seen trimming, leveling, and re‑sodding the surface in an effort to achieve a flawless playing area.
Their goal was to finish the final adjustments just a few hours before the scheduled start time, ensuring that the field would meet the exacting standards required for an NFL game. On Friday, the executive director of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) disclosed that both the league and the players’ union had dispatched technical experts to evaluate the field conditions ahead of Sunday’s showdown.
Those specialists expressed concern that loose or uneven grass could create excessive slipping, potentially jeopardising player safety. The primary issues revolve around traction and stability. In response, the NFL has taken steps to reinforce the field’s stitching and overall integrity.
Earlier in the week, field operations manager Nick Pappas publicly stated his confidence that the athletes would encounter no difficulties once the game began. During a press briefing on Saturday, Pappas confirmed that the league had implemented additional improvements after the union’s worries were raised. "Everything checks out now," he assured reporters. "There’s no cause for alarm." This will be the NFL’s second venture into Brazil.
The first two games, held in 2024, took place at São Paulo’s 48,000‑seat NeoQuimica Arena. Those matches also sparked criticism of the playing surface; the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers were forced to swap out their cleats because the hybrid grass‑synthetic field proved too slick. In contrast, the Maracana’s surface is 100 percent natural grass, a factor that many Brazilian players consider the gold standard for pitch quality, whereas NeoQuimica’s mixed‑type turf is often praised as the best in the country. The Cowboys and Ravens arrived in Rio on Friday after roughly ten‑hour flights.
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, his teammates, and the team’s cheerleading squad toured the stadium that morning, taking in the historic venue and its surroundings. Meanwhile, a group of Texas‑based fans who were given a behind‑the‑scenes stadium tour seemed more preoccupied with the prospect of a traditional Brazilian churrasco than with any lingering concerns about the grass.
"These guys grew up playing in less‑than‑ideal conditions," said 72‑year‑old fan George Smith, who sported a Cowboys blue‑star cap and a Brazil national‑team jersey. "I’m sure they’ll adapt to whatever the field throws at them. My only worry is making sure I get my steak today instead of waiting until after the game." The atmosphere in Rio’s famed southern district, home to the iconic Copacabana beach, was unmistakably dominated by Cowboys supporters, though a noticeable contingent of Ravens fans was also present. Fans continued to pour in from other South American nations, as Brazil remains the sole country in the region currently hosting NFL games.
Sunday’s contest will be one of a record‑breaking nine international games on the NFL’s 2026 schedule, underscoring the league’s commitment to expanding its global footprint. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with full coverage of the playoffs and the Super Bowl LXI slated for February 14, 2027.
Viewers can also stream the action via the NOW platform without a long‑term contract, taking advantage of the latest Sky Sports promotional offers. In summary, while the Maracana’s turf has required intensive last‑minute work, league officials and field specialists assert that the surface will be safe and playable. The combination of natural‑grass authenticity, rigorous maintenance, and the NFL’s proactive safety measures should provide a suitable stage for the Cowboys and Ravens to showcase their talents in front of an enthusiastic Brazilian crowd.