The NFL says the Maracanã field passed all guidelines for Sunday's Cowboys-Ravens Week 3 game in Rio. Field director Nick Pappas said rain remains a concern and a slick surface is expected; the league has coordinated with both teams and the NFLPA.
Pappas said NFL staff had worked on the field regularly since January, during an unusually wet spring at a stadium used by two teams. Preparations included new Bermuda grass, rain tarps, expanded measures to support fertility, drainage, growth and recovery, and synthetic fibers stitched into the turf to reinforce it.
