The Dallas Cowboys and the NFL have added another major attraction to the 2026 Rio Game. The game will mark the Cowboys’ first regular-season international appearance in 12 years and their first trip to Brazil for a regular-season game.
Brazilian funk star Pedro Sampaio and global music icon Ricky Martin will headline the halftime show when the Cowboys face the Baltimore Ravens at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Sept. 27, 2026.
Two major music stars take the stage
Sampaio is one of the biggest names in Brazil’s funk and electronic music scene. The Brazilian DJ, producer and singer has released two studio albums, including his 2022 debut, Chama Meu Nome, and his 2024 visual album, Astro.
Chama Meu Nome surpassed 780 million streams and earned Platinum certification in Brazil and Gold certification in Portugal. Sampaio has also built an international profile through collaborations with artists including Anitta, Luísa Sonza and J Balvin.
source on Google Go here and check the box
next to Cowboys.news
In 2026, Sampaio surprise-released Sequências #1 and is also working on a Spanish-language project that will blend Brazilian funk with reggaeton and Latin rhythms.
Martin brings an entirely different level of international experience to the Rio stage. The Puerto Rican superstar has released 10 studio albums during a career that helped bring Latin pop to a massive global audience. His 1998 album Vuelve earned him his first Grammy Award and featured the iconic World Cup anthem “La Copa de la Vida.”
His 1999 English-language album, Ricky Martin, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and featured “Livin’ la Vida Loca,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart.
Martin’s most recent studio album, A Quien Quiera Escuchar, was released in 2015 and won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album. He is currently preparing a new studio album, with the project expected to arrive in late 2026.
Cowboys return to the international stage on September 27, 2026
Dallas is 1-0 in regular-season international games after defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-17 at Wembley Stadium in London in 2014. And now, the Cowboys will face the Ravens in the NFL’s first regular-season game in Rio de Janeiro. Dallas is the designated home team for the matchup, scheduled for 3:25 p.m. CT and to be broadcast on CBS.
The game also features a quarterback matchup between two of the NFL’s biggest stars. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson won the 2023 NFL MVP award, while Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott finished second in that voting.
Maracanã Stadium provides an equally significant backdrop. One of the world’s most iconic sporting venues, the stadium has hosted numerous massive soccer crowds, including matches during the FIFA World Cup.
With the Cowboys and Ravens set to meet on the field and Ricky Martin and Pedro Sampaio taking the stage at halftime, the Rio Game is shaping up to be one of the NFL’s biggest international events of the 2026 season.
