Story perspectives

Cowboys-Ravens Field Gets Reinforced Turf Before Kickoff

By Drooid · Sep 26, 2026, 10:32 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro hosted the Dallas Cowboys–Baltimore Ravens NFL game.
NFL executive director JC Tretter said union experts recommended reinforced stitching of the turf before kickoff.
League workers trimmed grass with mowers and scissors and used a GrassMaster Stitch Machine less than 30 hours before kickoff.
Field director Nick Pappas reported extra improvements and said the field checked out despite earlier concerns.

History

Historical Context

In 2007 the NFL launched its International Series with a regular-season game at London’s newly rebuilt Wembley Stadium, drawing 81,176 fans. To protect the pitch, the league installed a reinforced Desso GrassMaster surface, a move later echoed at Brazil’s Maracanã Stadium, which will host its first series games beginning in 2026. The strategy shows the NFL’s long-term push to expand globally while safeguarding player safety.

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Story summary

The Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro hosted the Dallas Cowboys–Baltimore Ravens NFL game.
NFL executive director JC Tretter said union experts recommended reinforced stitching of the turf before kickoff.
League workers trimmed grass with mowers and scissors and used a GrassMaster Stitch Machine less than 30 hours before kickoff.
Field director Nick Pappas reported extra improvements and said the field checked out despite earlier concerns.

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