Ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers matchup in São Paulo this week, the NFL and local partners completed a June turf renovation at Neo Química Arena to address traction issues that affected last year’s Brazil game and to help teams prepare for an 8 p.m. ET kickoff.
Key Takeaways
- The NFL invested in a turf renovation project at Neo Química Arena in June to improve traction.
- The stadium uses GrassMaster hybrid turf—the same system at Lambeau Field and Lincoln Financial Field.
- The field had not been renovated since the stadium opened in 2014 prior to this work.
- New synthetic fibers were sewn into the surface with technology previously unavailable in Brazil.
- Players and coaches have emphasized screw-in cleats and pregame warmups to assess footing.
- Last year’s Brazil game saw multiple slips; the Eagles beat the Packers 34-29 in that matchup.
- The Brazil game is the NFL’s first of seven international games this season and will be free to watch on YouTube.
Verified Facts
Neo Química Arena (Corinthians Arena) is primarily a soccer venue that opened in 2014 and has hosted World Cup, Olympic and Copa América matches. Until the June intervention this year, the stadium’s GrassMaster hybrid turf had not undergone a full renovation since opening.
In June, the NFL and local partners funded and facilitated a renovation that included importing specialized equipment to Brazil to stitch new synthetic fibers into the pitch. The stated objective was to increase traction and reduce slipping for American football plays on a surface built for soccer.
GrassMaster is a reinforced, hybrid system combining natural grass with synthetic fibers. Two NFL stadiums—Lambeau Field and Lincoln Financial Field—use the same hybrid technology. The league cited those installations when describing the choice of surface and the expected performance improvements.
Player concern about footing was visible after last year’s Brazil game, when several players slipped during the Eagles-Packers matchup that ended 34-29. Coaches and clubs have responded by advising screw-in cleats and additional pregame assessments to adapt to any remaining differences in surface behavior.
Context & Impact
The NFL’s push to improve the Neo Química Arena surface reflects growing attention to playing conditions as the league expands internationally. Good turf affects player safety, game speed and the types of plays teams can reliably run—especially in the running game where cuts and traction matter most.
For visiting NFL teams, temporary changes—cleat selection, altered practice routines and extra warmup time—are standard mitigations. Chargers and Chiefs staff have discussed cleat fittings and scouting the field in walkthroughs to reduce the risk of slips and injuries on game day.
The Brazil matchup is also a test case for the league’s operational playbook for international fixtures. If the renovated surface performs well, it may set a model for future stadium preparations in non-NFL venues hosting American football.
“We are focused on delivering the best experience for our teams, and the field surface is a key component of that,”
Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive VP of club business (August)
Official Statements
“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,”
NFL executive VP Peter O’Reilly
Unconfirmed
- Whether the June renovation fully eliminates the traction issues observed last year will only be confirmed after pregame warmups and early-game play.
- Any long-term maintenance schedule or follow-up renovations beyond this season has not been publicly detailed.
Bottom Line
The June renovation and imported stitching technology aim to reduce the slipping problems that marred last year’s Brazil game, but teams will still rely on equipment choices and on-field checks before kickoff. The matchup will serve as an early indicator of how effectively the NFL can prepare non-traditional venues for high-speed professional football.