Despite public fears over the field conditions for Sunday’s Cowboys-Ravens matchup in Brazil, the NFL is proceeding with its first ever game in Rio de Janeiro, a league spokesperson told The Daily Mail on Wednesday.
This comes after NFL field director Nick Pappas told The Athletic that the league had ‘no concerns’ about the field condition at Maracanã Stadium.
‘It’s a field that’s been actively used and that’s visible,’ Pappas said Monday. ‘But that’s no different than going to a grass field in the NFL in Week 3 that has some visible areas of use. We always want to present a product that looks like the Super Bowl and want to present a product that plays like the Super Bowl. That’s the goal and that’s what we’ll look to do this week.’
Since then, however, Brazilian soccer powerhouse Flamengo beat visiting Red Bull Bragantino at Maracanã amid a prolonged stretch of unseasonably heavy rains in the area. Meanwhile, multiple Flamengo players have publicly criticized the condition of their home field, including goalkeeper Agustin Rossi, who reportedly called it ‘bad as [expletive].’
Despite this, an NFL spokesman told The Daily Mail on Wednesday that the league still had no concerns about the field condition. As a result, Sunday’s kickoff remains scheduled for 4.25pm EST at a 76-year-old stadium that once hosted the 1950 World Cup.
For their part, the Cowboys have remained supportive of the league’s decision to go ahead with Sunday’s game in Rio de Janeiro.
Flamengo, which played at Maracanã on Monday, has repeatedly complained about the field
The 76-year-old arena hosted World Cup and Olympic soccer matches, but never an NFL game
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has never played overseas, but that will change Sunday
‘I don’t have concerns only because the league has said full speed ahead,’ Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told The Athletic. ‘I think if there was a real concern, there would have already been contingent plans being made. I know how the league works, about where we play the game if it weren’t there, and there’s none of that. So, I think we’re full speed ahead.
‘Whatever work needs to be done on the field to make sure that it’s safe and great for our players, no one understands that more than the league, that we’ve got to have great surfaces and great playing fields that are very safe for our players. As far as I’m concerned, we’re full speed ahead and we’re ready to go to Rio.’
Stephen’s father, Jerry, had a similar take when speaking to Dallas’ 105.3 The Fan earlier this week.
‘They’ve had a lot of rain down there, but the conditions are not concerning to me right now,’ Jerry said. ‘It’s realistic that we can have a good game on the field.
‘We wouldn’t be going down there and all set up if we didn’t think we were ready to play the game in whatever conditions exist down there right now.’
Jerry Jones believes the league has everything under control in terms of field conditions
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson leads the NFL in yards per attempt and completion
Likewise, Ravens first-year head coach Jesse Minter did not express any misgivings about Sunday.
‘I mean, look, it is really in the league’s hands, and we have been in contact with them,’ Minter told reporters this week. ‘They have people there [who] feel pretty good about it. Both teams are going to be playing there, and we will be ready to roll.’
This marks the first time the league is playing in Rio de Janeiro, but the third NFL game ever played in Brazil. In São Paulo, the Green Bay Packers fell to the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs topped the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
Although complaints about the city’s Arena Corinthians died down last season, the inaugural 2024 game in São Paulo faced criticism for poor field conditions, which were described as slippery.
Previously, the NFL was forced to relocate a 2018 game out of Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum after field conditions were determined to be unsafe. The NFL has since returned to North America’s largest city and a newly renovated Estadio Azteca, where the Minnesota Vikings will face the San Francisco 49ers on November 22.
The Ravens are currently 1-1 and coming off a disappointing loss to the New Orleans Saints, while the 1-1 Cowboys beat the Washington Commanders in Week 2. Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott is currently tied for the league lead with six touchdown passes on the season, while Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson leads the NFL in yards per attempt and completion.
