Cowboys-Ravens field conditions draw concern ahead of historic NFL game in Rio

Soccer players have criticized the playing surface at Maracanã Stadium, which will host the NFL's first game in Rio de Janeiro

Sep 20, 2026 at 1:22 pm ET • 2 min read

The Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens make NFL history in Week 3 with the first game in Rio De Janeiro. Before the matchup can take place, though, the NFL has to make sure the field at Maracaña Stadium is ready to host the game, which could be an issue because the turf doesn't seem to be in great shape right now. 

The stadium in Rio is home to the Flamengo soccer team, and several players have recently complained about the field conditions at Maracaña. 

"We've been struggling a lot in these last few games, and the field keeps getting worse," Flamengo midfielder Giorgian De Arrascaeta said after a recent game, via A to Z Sports. "It's getting harder and harder to control the ball. We have to try to play quickly. If we want to be champions, we have to find a solution. With the team we have, we can't be playing on a field like this."

The NFL is "aware" of the potential issues with the playing surface in Rio, according to Pro Football Talk. The problem for the NFL is that the league won't be able to do anything about the field conditions at Maracaña until Monday at the earliest. The stadium hosted a Flamengo game on Sept. 13 and it will host one more game on Sept. 20 before the NFL gets to take over. 

Flamengo goalkeeper Agustín Rossi seems to think the field is in deplorable shape. 

"You don't even need to talk about the field, it's there for everyone to see," Rossi said, via A to Z. "The way we play, it's unbelievable that we're playing on a field like this. Both penalty areas are bad as [expletive]. If you look at it, there are bumps everywhere. There's still going to be an NFL game here during the international break. After that game, I hope the field is in better shape."

Over the past few days, the stadium has released several photos and videos of the field on social media, and it appears the groundskeepers in Brazil are doing the best they can to keep the field playable. 

This is the third straight year that the NFL has held a game in Brazil, but it isn't the first time there have been some gripes about the playing surface. The first game in Brazil took place at Arena Corinthians in São Paulo between the Eagles and the Packers, and players from both teams complained about the field conditions afterward. 

The NFL has several days to try to improve the turf at Maracaña, but this will certainly be something to keep an eye on when the Ravens and Cowboys take the field at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sept. 27 in a game that will be televised on CBS.