Who could Cowboys play in NFL’s first Rio De Janeiro, Brazil game?
The NFL loves nothing more than to celebrate itself. For example, they turned something as mundane as the release of next season’s schedule into a full-blown primetime event in the middle of the offseason. However, some parts of the schedule require far too much logistics to wait until May, which is why the league’s efforts to expand to other countries around the world are being announced before the league year begins.
The NFL is expanding its International Games schedule and it looks like the Dallas Cowboys will finally be taking part in the festivities. Their destination? Brazil apparently, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
The NFL is scheduling nine away games across the country for the 2026 season, with plans to play in Mexico City, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Munich, Paris and Rio de Janeiro. This will be the third consecutive year the league has played a game in Brazil, with the Eagles and Packers starting the 2024 season there, and the Chiefs and Chargers starting the 2025 season there.
Advertisement
These two games were played in Sau Paulo, but the Cowboys will play at Maracana Stadium. This is the year the NFC goes international, as teams that have played nine home games are selected first for the competition. The league will announce the team’s opponent and game week later this spring.
However, since the Cowboys’ list of home opponents is already known, there are only a handful of teams that could be.
The Cowboys could face one of their three NFC East opponents, the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants or Washington Commanders. They also have home games scheduled against Arizona and San Francisco, but the 49ers are already booked to play the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, so they are more than likely out.
The Cowboys also have a home game scheduled against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are the annual hosts in London.
Advertisement
The Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers round out the possible opponents.
This article was originally published on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys to play in Brazil, list of potential opponents in 2026
