NFL sets firm expectations for field conditions in São Paulo ahead of Chiefs-Chargers matchup
League will have a game in Brazil for second consecutive season.
Field condition was a big topic of conversation last year, when the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers played the first ever NFL game in Brazil. On Sept. 5, the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers will play in São Paulo as well, and it’s the same stadium—Arena Corinthians. So it’s fair to wonder if the field is going to be better for players.
The NFL is aware of what happened in 2024, and it’s making sure this year’s version of the game will be safer and visually better for players and the audience.
“We are always focused on delivering the best experience for our teams in every way, and certainly the field surface is a key component of that,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business. “Our team has been down there working with Corinthians to ensure the best possible field surface for this game, and we feel confident in that.”
Arena Corinthians has what’s considered a good field condition in general, but the type of grass is specifically utilized for soccer. That was just one of many things the NFL learned in the first experience in South America, which hopefully for the Chiefs and Chargers means a better operation next week.
“We learn a ton from every first, and last year was a real first. We didn’t have an office in São Paulo at the time. We now have our general manager and our office open in São Paulo,” O’Reilly added. “We learned so much operationally, logistically, partnership-wise. You build relationships and trust, and that all feeds into the planning that’s been going on literally since the day after last year’s game, to really look at every piece.”
The second game in Brazil is part of a larger plan from the league to expand internationally. This season, there will be a record seven games played outside of the United States. And the NFL doesn’t plan to stop—it’s possible that Brazil will receive even more than one game a year in the near future, a project that could include Rio de Janeiro in addition to São Paulo.
For now, Chiefs and Chargers fans can relax. Presumably, field conditions won’t be as big of a problem as they were for Packers and Eagles a year ago.
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