Headed to Rio for Ravens-Cowboys game? Here’s how to make the most of it.

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When the leaves start to change colors and eventually fall, and the days get shorter and cooler, America welcomes the return of football.

But, when the Ravens go to Rio de Janeiro to bring Brazilians their third NFL game, they will arrive as trees start to bloom and the rain arrives to herald spring.

If you’re headed to cheer the Ravens against the Dallas Cowboys and have never been to Brazil, we’ve got you covered.

With tips from Brazilian fans, as well as Banner reporter Clara Longo De Freitas, who is from São Paulo, here are ideas to make the most of your trip.

What to pack

Besides the obvious (your game-day gear), fans heading to Brazil should pack layers.

Spring is a rainy season in Rio (which has contributed to concerns over field conditions), and nights can get cool. Longo de Freitas said not everywhere is heated well, so be prepared (bring your warm pajamas!)

You’ll still get the chance to hit the beach, with temperatures projected to be in the high 70s and 80s, but if your explorations last beyond sunset, you might need a jacket. For those sunny moments, take sunscreen.

Where to go

You can visit many of the NFL’s planned events and still get to see a lot of Rio’s top destinations.

The NFL will have photo opportunities at Botafogo Beach, where you can see Sugarloaf Mountain, and on Copacabana Beach. There will be a 5K in Parque Garota de Ipanema.

Many visitors will want to get to Christ the Redeemer, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

And there will be many shopping opportunities; those traveling from the U.S. will benefit from the exchange rate. The NFL plans to have shops in Shopping Leblon, Sugarloaf, Morumbi Shopping, and Santos Dumont, Galeao, Guarulhos and Congonhas airports.

“Everything is cheap,” said André Franceschini, who recommended Leblon. “Because the Brazilian dollar is cheap.” Franceschni is from Rio de Janeiro and lives in New Jersey.

Plus, there will be team merchandise created specifically for the Rio game and only available here.

What to eat

Brazilian beer is the best, Franceschini said.

“I think it’s the best because it’s very, very cold and Brazil is very, very hot,” Franceschini said.

But, even if you’re a beer drinker, you have to try a caipirinha, the most famous Brazilian cocktail. It is made with cachaça (Brazil’s national spirit, made from fermented sugarcane), sugar, lime and ice.

Franceschini also recommends trying feijoada (a stew typically made with black beans, beef and pork) and the picanha (top sirloin) from Braseiro da Gavéa.

Franceschini, Longo de Freitas and Ravens fan Andre Suman, who is from São Paulo, all agreed Brazilian pizza is very different from what you get in the United States, although they struggled to explain why. They recommend trying it for yourself. Franceschini said pizza topped with calabresa (a sausage that is similar to pepperoni) is one of the popular styles.

Santos advised trying churrasco (Brazilian BBQ) and coxinha (chicken croquettes).

What to expect at the game

When Suman attended his first NFL game in the U.S., he was impressed by how proactive the home team was. He was not accustomed to the orchestrated experience with in-stadium hosts, fan games at breaks and exhortations on the screen telling fans to get louder.

In Brazil, the fans are responsible for the atmosphere. They bring signs and smoke and noise. Their cheering lasts all game. Suman enjoys football the American way, but at times he wished for more from the fans.

“Sometimes I feel like, ‘Come on, guys, we should say something,’” he said. “We should cheer a different cheer.”

So, when the NFL brought a game to his hometown of São Paulo, Suman made sure he was there to see how locals reacted. And as he watched the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Green Bay Packers in 2024, he experienced an NFL game the Brazilian way.

The fans sang, and they cheered and they chanted — even when the Packers, the “home” team, had their offense on the field. Suman chuckled as he remembered the Packers players trying to signal the fans to quiet down so they could relay plays more easily.

The NFL is trying to imbue this game with the flavor of the location, Luis Martinez, who manages the league’s operation in Brazil, said. Its style guides incorporate the Copacabana waves and mosaics, and it is working with local soccer clubs.

It’s unclear whether fans will be allowed to bring the smoke that they would have at Maracanã for a soccer game, but they’ll have their cheers ready. Suman said they’re working on Ravens-specific chants. He’s also trying to prepare the Brazilian fans to shout “Oh!” during the American anthem the Baltimore way.