Another NFL schedule nugget has dropped, and this one is for the international game in Rio. The Baltimore Ravens were tabbed as the visiting team against the Dallas Cowboys at Maracana Stadium on Sunday, September 27.
The Ravens last played internationally in 2023, beating the Titans at Tottenham Stadium. Their only other international appearance came in 2017 with a loss to the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium.
But even though the Ravens have only played two games abroad, that’s still double the number of games the Cowboys have played out of the country. They were last sent on holiday in 2014 to London, making them the team with the longest tenure without playing an international game, as well as the fewest international games played.
So, interestingly, this matchup will be between two of the NFL’s least-traveled teams. Which might make this a popular road trip for both fan bases.
The Cowboys will be the “home team”, so they will give up one of their nine home games.
Next Steps
Well, now that we have a location, a date, and both teams set, if you’re interested in traveling to the game, now is the time to start thinking about travel plans. Although ticket details have not been released, thinking about a potential trip itinerary and booking some refundable hotel reservations would be a great idea. It’s also a good time to start monitoring airfares, since recent world events have driven ticket prices much higher.
Speaking of tickets, if you are interested in going, you should sign up here for notifications directly from the NFL.
Doubleheader digest
Although no schedules have been published, it should be noted that Brazilian Serie A, the top soccer league in Brazil, is in-season from May to December, so there’s a chance you might be able to see a match. Two of the four Rio-based teams (Flamengo and Fluminense) play at the Maracana, so they obviously won’t be at home that weekend. But two other teams – Botafogo and Vasco da Gama – both play at other stadiums in the area, so it’s possible they could have a home game scheduled on the same weekend. We will keep you posted when those schedules are announced.
