Cowboys-Ravens Maracana Stadium Field Concerns Reignite With Viral Close-Up Video

In less than 24 hours, the NFL will hold its first-ever game in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as the Dallas Cowboys face off against the Baltimore Ravens at the iconic Maracana Stadium.

On Saturday morning, the Cowboys pulled up to Maracana Stadium for a literal walkthrough, as they toured the venue, got a feel for the grass, and soaked in the sights and sounds ahead of their historic showdown on Sunday evening.

There have been a lot of concerns regarding the field conditions in Rio, and the NFL Players Association has also sounded some alarms, but the league underwent some last-minute efforts to get the field to a playable level that would not put the players in danger.

Along with the Cowboys players, the local Dallas media toured Maracana on Saturday, which led to a viral close-up video making the rounds on social media from 105.3 The Fan.

A close up look at the field at Maracanã Stadium.#Cowboys #CowboysNation pic.twitter.com/tNKgkqB9md
— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) September 26, 2026

As you can see, the conditions are less than ideal.

We'll have to see how that impacts Sunday's game, but the league insists things are ready to go.

NFL Gives Green Light To Inaugural NFL Rio Game

Workers paint the Dallas Cowboys logo in the end zone at Maracana Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

NFL Field Director Nick Pappas said that the field passed all guidelines and that the league has "been in correspondence with the NFLPA and both teams about the surface." There are still small concerns that overnight rainfall could play a role and make the surface slick, but Pappas claims the field is "not expected to be inherently unsafe."

Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News says he was told, "It’s like playing an East Coast game in late November/December." By that time of year, the weather conditions create sloppy field conditions that are can limit a players' performance.

Another source who is on the scene delivered a very eloquent description to Pro Football Talk, saying the field "looks like dog sh*t." The countdown to kickoff is going to be very eventful, and everyone will suddenly become grass experts.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Von Miller and defensive teammates pose at Maracana Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hopefully the game can go on as planned without the field impacting the result or leading to any devastating injuries. Because at the end of the day, fans just want to see good football and the best players in the world perform to the best of their capabilities.

If they're slipping and sliding across a field and rolling their ankles in divots, that's going to cause some unfortunate discourse.

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