The NFL will hold its first regular-season game in Rio de Janeiro when the Dallas Cowboys face the Baltimore Ravens at Maracanã Stadium on September 27. The Week 3 matchup airs on CBS and Paramount+ at 4:25 p.m. ET. NFL Brazil General Manager Luis Martinez hailed the event as a milestone for the sport's growth in the region.
The game marks the first time a regular-season NFL contest will take place in Rio de Janeiro, at the Maracanã Stadium, which holds nearly 79,000 fans. Dak Prescott and the Cowboys will meet Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in this international showdown during Week 3 of the 2026 season. The NFL has played two games in Brazil over the previous two years, but none in Rio until now. The broadcast will be available on CBS and Paramount+ starting at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 27. “We are proud to welcome the Dallas Cowboys to Brazil for the first-ever NFL game in Rio de Janeiro,” NFL Brazil General Manager Luis Martinez said in a statement. “Introducing one of the league's most iconic teams to the Maracanã Stadium marks a powerful milestone in the continued growth of the sport worldwide. Bringing a regular-season game to Rio strengthens our connection to a vibrant and passionate football community and underscores our long-term commitment to the market.” The teams have met once before, in Week 3 of the 2024 season, when the Ravens won 28-25 in Dallas. Derrick Henry rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns in that victory. Heading into 2026, the Cowboys feature a strong passing attack after George Pickens recorded 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2025, though their defense allowed a league-worst 30.1 points per game. Dallas addressed that in the 2026 NFL Draft by trading up for Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 and selecting UCF pass rusher Malachi Lawrence at No. 23. The Ravens, meanwhile, parted ways with head coach John Harbaugh for the first time since 2007, hiring former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. To protect Jackson, who was sacked 36 times in 13 games last season, they drafted Penn State offensive guard Olaivavega Ioane at No. 14.
