{
  "id": 9020689,
  "title": "NFL field director says he’s confident Rio stadium surface will be in good shape for Ravens-Cowboys",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/nfl-field-director-says-hes-confident-rio-stadium-surface-will-be-in",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-21T22:14:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/nfl/2026/09/21/nfl-field-director-says-hes-confident-rio-stadium-surface-will-be-in-good-shape-for-ravens-cowboys"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The field at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro has experienced heavy rainfall over the past six weeks, but NFL field director Nick Pappas expressed confidence that the surface will be in good condition for Sunday's game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys. Pappas stated that they have a plan to mitigate the weather's impact and feel they are in a good position. A tarp was shipped to Rio about a week ago to help protect the turf. One of the biggest tasks for the NFL is converting Maracana Stadium to accommodate American football, as the stadium regularly hosts soccer teams that have criticized the turf conditions. The heavy schedule of soccer games combined with continuous rainfall has strained the natural grass surface. However, Pappas noted that some concerns related to soccer and American football are different, as the NFL's ball doesn't make significant contact with the ground. The Ravens and Cowboys are set to travel to Rio on Thursday and will practice in the city on Friday.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}