NFL Confident Maracana Field Will Be Ready for Rio Game Amid Weather Concerns

The NFL has dispatched a crew to Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium to prepare the field for Sunday's historic game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys. Concerns had arisen regarding the condition of the turf following unusually heavy rainfall in the region over the past six weeks, prompting speculation about a potential venue change.

Nick Pappas, the NFL's field director, expressed confidence that the stadium will be ready. "They've faced some unprecedented weather over the last six weeks or so as far as rainfall goes," Pappas told The Associated Press. "We've got to have plans in place to ensure that you can mitigate the weather the best you can and, right now, we feel we’re in a good spot."

The NFL team began work on Monday, shipping a tarp to Rio to help protect the playing surface. A significant task involves converting the Maracana, which regularly hosts soccer matches for Flamengo and Fluminense, for American football.

Brazilian soccer players had recently criticized the state of the pitch. Flamengo midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta noted after a match that the Maracana pitch "keeps getting worse," adding, "With the team we have, we can't be playing on a field like this."

Pappas acknowledged the concerns but highlighted the differences between soccer and American football. "Our ball is not on the ground too much, so some of the things they’re looking for (are) maybe not the same things that we're looking at," he said.

This marks the NFL's third game in Brazil, with previous contests held at Sao Paulo's Neo Quimica Arena, where turf conditions also drew criticism. The Ravens and Cowboys are scheduled to travel on Thursday, with practices in Rio on Friday.