The Kansas City Chiefs won’t just be opening their season on Friday against a hated rival. They’ll play them on one of the NFL’s most scrutinized stages in São Paulo, Brazil.
When the Chiefs and L.A. Chargers kick off in Week 1, they’ll do so at Corinthians Arena (Neo Química Arena), the same venue that hosted the league’s South American debut last fall.
That night in 2024 was supposed to be a celebrated introduction into an untapped area for global fandom, but the story quickly shifted from touchdowns to turf. Players swapped out cleats, and injury concerns were expressed. In the end, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love suffered a late-game MCL sprain that became the lasting image from the Brazilian exhibition.
For Chiefs Kingdom, turf worries are a worrying subplot for a thrilling opener, and the last thing anyone wants, NFL included, is for a household name to suffer an unfortunate injury blamed on the field of play. This time, however, the NFL insists things will be ready for the spotlight.
What went wrong in 2024
Last September, the Eagles and Packers squared off in Corinthians Arena, a soccer venue outfitted by Grassmaster, which uses "100% natural grass reinforced with unique synthetic fibres."
Following the game, NFL players sounded off about the difficulties the playing surface yielded. "I mean, y'all saw out there that it was kind of rough to get traction. Definitely challenging on that field," said Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur admitted in-game that "it's been a problem for sure."
Multiple players said they had to change cleats (to longer studs) in order to keep from slipping, including Eagles RB Saquon Barkley after a five-yard loss to start the game. Then came Love's injury, which kept the field's condition as a talking point following the game.
Lessons learned and changes made
The NFL quickly recognized it couldn’t allow a repeat performance, and field specialists worked with Corinthians to overhaul their approach in 2025. The arena announced a new re-seeding process for 2025, and the league has been heavily involved in preparations for the game.
Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s Executive Vice President of Club Business, made it clear the league is holding itself accountable. "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. 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," he said.
Now, the Chiefs and Chargers will put those conditions to the test. K.C. will become the first franchise to play a regular-season game in three different countries outside of North America, adding Brazil to a list that already includes Mexico and Germany. It’s a global push for the NFL’s reigning dynasty, which is what heightens the need for the field to avoid becoming another talking point.