The NFL have moved Monday's huge clash between the LA Rams and Kansas City Chiefs back to Los Angeles from Mexico City due to the pitch at the Azteca Stadium being deemed unsafe.
The match was scheduled as the fourth of this season's NFL International Series fixtures, following October's three games at Wembley Stadium.
It was to be a showpiece event for Mexico City given the rams and Chiefs are two of the best teams in the NFL this season and are both among the favourites to make the Super Bowl.
But after the league ruled that the current condition of the Estadio Azteca's pitch "does not meet NFL standards", the game - a Rams home fixture - will instead be played at their stadium the LA Coliseum.
A league statement read: "Following a meeting and field inspection this afternoon, the playing field at Estadio Azteca does not meet NFL standards for playability and consistency and will not meet those standards by next Monday."
NFL executive vice president of international Mark Waller added on NFL.com: "Until very recently, we had no major concerns. But the combination of a difficult rainy season and a heavy multi-event calendar of events at the stadium have resulted in significant damage to the field that presents unnecessary risks to player safety and makes it unsuitable to host an NFL game."
The Rams and Chiefs have each won nine of their 10 games so far this season to lead the chase for the play-offs in the NFC and AFC respectively.
The situation in Mexico City marks a role reversal from that at Wembley, where there were concerns over the state of the surface for Tottenham's Premier League game with Manchester City and Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven after three NFL games on successive weekends.
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