NFL fans are in an uproar over the quality of the practice field the Kansas City Chiefs are using ahead of their season opener against the Chargers.
The Chiefs and Chargers have touched down in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where they’ll kick off the season with a highly anticipated game on Friday, September 5.
While the Chargers appear to be using a professional soccer field to prep for the game, photos of the Chief’s practice field went viral on social media on Thursday, showing a bumpy grassy with rugby goalposts and soccer goals pushed to the side. There were also sand volleyball courts and a swimming pool visible near the practice site, which is a vast contrast to the elements the team is used to practicing on at Arrowhead Stadium.
After seeing the accommodations, fans quickly took to social media to bash the league for not providing a better place for the teams to warmup prior to their season opener, with one fan writing, “The NFL couldn’t get a local pro soccer club field for a day?”
“Why would they not take the initiative to ensure they have a proper practice field after all this time? They knew about this for months and this wasn’t the first time international field safety was a concern,” another person quipped.
“That field DOES NOT look even at all. Going to really , really , really , pissed off is there’s a tweaked ankle (looking at you Hollywood), because of this crap field,” someone else wrote.
“This is embarrassing, There’s no reason to be playing games in Brazil,” a third person said.
“If the NFL is going to insist on making international games a regular thing… need better accommodations than that,” another added.
The Chiefs have made it to the practice field here in Brazil pic.twitter.com/L0q2ovtec5
— Steve Walls (@SteveWallsKC) September 4, 2025
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Friday night’s game will be played at Arena Corinthians, also known as Neo Quimica Arena, which is about a two hour drive from where Patrick Mahomes and company are staying. The arena is primarily a soccer stadium and has previously hosted events like the World Cup, Olympics, and Copa America.
On a recent episode of his “New Heights” podcast, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce dished on the uniqueness of the upcoming game, saying, “I know the stadium’s two hours away from the hotel.”
“That’ll be a unique experience driving to the game game for two hours, the old college football way that we used to drive,” he added. “We were dealt a hand and we gotta play it.”
In June, the NFL and local partners invested in turf renovations, after being again scrutinized for putting the players on slick field conditions last season.
“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,” NFL executive VP of club business Peter O’Reilly said in August, per the “New York Times.”
Tonight’s matchup is the first of seven international NFL games this year.
The Chiefs vs. Chargers kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST on Friday.
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