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The NFL is moving forward with the Cowboys–Ravens game as scheduled next Sunday in Brazil and plans to address the field-condition issues at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro that have been raised by some soccer players in recent days.
An NFL spokesperson told Front Office Sports that the league is looking forward to the game in Rio and, as with all international games, it has a plan in place to ensure a high-quality playing surface.
The NFL Players Association told FOS it is aware of the situation and has been in touch with the league about it.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters following his team’s win Sunday over the Commanders that he has “no concerns” about the field conditions in Brazil, according to the Dallas Morning News.
According to the Morning News, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Sunday, “We’ll look at that and I know it’s the utmost concern to the league and the teams playing down there. We’ll obviously stay informed as we look to it and it’s front of mind now that we’ve gotten past the Washington Commanders.”
The Cowboys and Ravens are scheduled to play there at 4:25 p.m. Eastern time next Sunday. The Week 3 matchup is the second of the nine international games on the NFL’s schedule for this season after the 49ers beat the Rams in Australia in Week 1.
Players for Flamengo—the club currently leading Brazil’s Serie A—have been critical recently of the condition of the field at their home stadium.
“You don’t even need to talk about the field, it’s there for everyone to see,” Flamengo goalkeeper Agustín Rossi told the Brazilian outlet ge, according to A to Z Sports. “The way we play, it’s unbelievable that we’re playing on a field like this. Both penalty areas are bad. … 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.”
Flamengo midfielder Giorgian De Arrascaeta told the same outlet: “We’ve been struggling a lot in these last few games, and the field keeps getting worse. 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.”
Both players made their comments before Flamengo’s home game Sunday night.
The Cowboys are the designated home team next Sunday.
There were complaints about the condition of the field when the Packers played the Eagles in Brazil in 2024. But that game was played at a different venue, Arena Corinthians in Saõ Paulo.
The NFL moved a Chiefs–Rams game scheduled to be played in Mexico City to Los Angeles in 2018 because of playing-surface issues at Estadio Azteca.
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