NFL, NFLPA continue to monitor field conditions in Rio

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  Jamison HensleySep 25, 2026, 02:25 PM ET

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  Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.

Field experts for the NFL and the NFL Players Association have been in Brazil for days to monitor the playing surface at Maracanã Stadium, NFLPA executive director JC Tretter said in a lengthy statement on Friday.

The Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens are playing Sunday in the NFL's first game in Rio de Janeiro.

"Based on our experts' assessment, the field needed better traction and stability," Tretter said in a statement on Friday. "They recommended reinforced stitching to help the surface hold together and brought in equipment to reinforce as much of the field as possible before the game. Our experts will remain engaged and continue evaluating conditions through kickoff."

NFL field director Nick Pappas told ESPN on Monday that the league has not had conversations about relocating the game. Pappas acknowledged there have been challenges after a record rainfall in Rio de Janeiro for the last six weeks but added, "nothing that we're not capable of managing."

The Cowboys and Ravens both flew to Brazil on Thursday night and are practicing there on Friday afternoon. The teams will get their first look at the stadium's playing surface on Saturday when they conduct walkthroughs.

"The concern heading into this week was that the field would be loose, patchy, and lead to excessive slipping," Tretter said. "Those conditions are generally more of a playability and performance issue than a significant injury concern. But safety isn't the only standard. Players should be able to perform at the level they expect of themselves and that fans expect from them. A thin, slick field may not present the same risks as a surface with too much traction, but it still affects performance and the quality of the game."

The questions about the quality of the playing surface at Rio's Maracanã Stadium started last week when professional soccer players voiced complaints about their home stadium's grass field.

"There is a lot of just, 'he said, she said,' kind of thing going on right now, so we will see," Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said Thursday. "I know the players are the product in this league. As soon as we lose 'putting the players forward' is when we lose the league. I am sure the league knows that and they are doing their best to put us in the position to be safe. So, that is not really in the forefront of my mind right now."