While the Dallas Cowboys had hoped to secure the World Cup championship game for their home stadium, they’ve received the next best thing: hosting more tournament matches than any other venue across the tri-national event.
AT&T Stadium in Arlington will showcase nine World Cup games, topping all 16 locations selected for the tournament shared between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The venue’s schedule kicks off June 14 with Japan facing the Netherlands and reaches its peak with a semifinal contest on July 14.
Soccer powerhouses Argentina and England are both scheduled to play at the facility, which features a retractable roof and massive overhead video display in suburban Arlington.
The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area sits in America’s football heartland but brings World Cup experience from serving as a host city during the 1994 tournament.
While North Texas may not overflow with tourist destinations, visitors should consider two standout attractions: the JFK assassination site in downtown Dallas and the Fort Worth Stockyards north of the city center. The stockyards feature twice-daily longhorn cattle drives that represent authentic Texas culture.
Food enthusiasts will find abundant Tex-Mex and barbecue choices, from chain restaurants to family-owned establishments scattered across the region. Options extend from Frisco, located 30 miles north of Dallas, to Mansfield, 30 miles south of the city.
Fair Park, situated east of downtown Dallas, will serve as the designated fan headquarters. This 277-acre space houses the Cotton Bowl, which hosted World Cup games three decades ago. The main entertainment area centers around an amphitheater typically used for major musical performances, with extensive additional space for fan activities.
Transportation presents challenges since Arlington, a city of approximately 400,000 residents, lacks mass transit options. World Cup organizers have developed a bus connection system linking to the nearest Trinity Railway Express station. The TRE connects Dallas and Fort Worth city centers, with officials promoting a “GoPass” for optimal transportation access, including Dallas County’s DART light-rail network, though the stadium sits in neighboring Tarrant County.
The 80,000-capacity stadium may seem familiar to international visitors due to its standing-room areas at both ends, inspired by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ European stadium visits during the design phase. Globe Life Field, home to Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers, sits adjacent to the World Cup venue, offering baseball game opportunities throughout the month-long tournament. Texas Live, a entertainment complex featuring bars and restaurants, operates just outside the baseball stadium.
