Major Concern Arises About Cowboys-Ravens Game in Brazil

Sep 19, 2026 at 11:05 PM EDT

Sep 19, 2026 at 11:15 PM EDT

A little over a week out from the highly anticipated Week 3 contest between the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens in Brazil, and some massive red flags are being raised about the game.

According to Mauricio Rodriguez of A to Z Sports, many are concerned with the field conditions for the game, which will be played at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Rodriguez reported that multiple Brazilian soccer players have complained recently about how bad the stadium’s playing surface is.

“The way we play, it’s unbelievable that we’re playing on a field like this,” Flamengo goalkeeper Agustín Rossi said. “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.”

Rossi’s Flamengo teammate Giorgian De Arrascaeta voiced similar concerns about the Maracana Stadium grass.

“We’ve been struggling a lot in these last few games, and the field keeps getting worse,” De Arrascaeta added. “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.”

There will be one more soccer match in the stadium before the Cowboys-Ravens clash on Sept. 27. It’s not known if the NFL can — or is authorized — to make any changes to the field conditions before that game takes place.

Field conditions have been a hot-button issue around the NFL in certain stadiums stateside.

Several players including Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle have been outspoken about having to play — and risk injury — on certain fields across the league.

If a player gets injured in the Ravens-Cowboys game, one would think the NFL would have to take field condition concerns more seriously, especially if it continues to play a heavier international schedule.