It’s happening. The road to the FIFA World Cup 26 is starting to get paved right here in our region. I say region because Frisco is in the game as one of the cities involved in the region being a host city. There’s A LOT to unpack here. On Sunday, I was fortunate to go to the announcement at the stadium. Dan Hunt, Jerry Jones, and Monica Paul – the leaders of this host mission, along with Dallas sports celebrities Dirk Nowitzki, Emmitt Smith, Paxton Pomykol, and Marty Turco were present and watching the announcement right along side us. Gina Miller expertly led the conversation and the afternoon. Bottom line is that although we didn’t get awarded the World Cup final in Arlington, we got NINE matches. It’s the most matches for any host city. I’m more than excited. I’m proud and ready to see this tournament, the largest single sport event in the world, get closer and closer!!
Here is the official release:
Dallas is shining in the global spotlight as FIFA announced a FIFA World Cup 26TM Semi-final will be played at Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium) in the city of Arlington. Overall, Arlington will host nine matches of the most prestigious sports and entertainment event on earth.
“There is no greater sporting event in the world than the FIFA World Cup, and there is no greater place than Dallas to host it,” said Monica Paul, Dallas Sports Commission Executive Director. “The matches will bring unprecedented attention to Dallas, attracting hundreds of thousands of fans to our region for the largest and most inclusive World Cup in the tournament’s rich history. We look forward to shining in the global spotlight, showcasing Dallas, the stadium and the entire region as a world-class destination for this once-in-a-generation event.”
FIFA World Cup 26TM marks the second opportunity for the region to host the world’s most famous sporting event. In 1994, Dallas served as a FIFA World CupTM host city with matches played at the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium. The highly anticipated match announcement, broadcast live around the world, revealed that the stadium in Arlington will host a total of nine matches during the 2026 tournament.
“First, I would like to thank everyone who worked so hard for so long on this process. In particular, Monica Paul with the Dallas Sports Commission, Dan Hunt and the Hunt Family, our great civic leaders, and other partners across North Texas that helped make this collective effort this successful,” said Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager. “The teamwork executed during this multi-year journey was extraordinary and something everyone involved should be proud of.”
“On behalf of the Jones Family and the entire Dallas Cowboys organization, we are honored to be selected to host premium matches for the FIFA World Cup 26. We can’t wait to open our doors and provide first-class experiences to fans from around the world who will visit our region to celebrate their countries and for our stadium to provide the greatest stage to the billions watching from home around the globe.”
“We are thrilled and honored by FIFA’s decision to bring a World Cup Semi-final to North Texas in 2026,” said Dan Hunt, FC Dallas President and Dallas FIFA World Cup 26 Chairman. “We have a rich soccer history in Dallas/Fort Worth and this historic announcement not only underscores the world-class nature of our region but also cements our place in the global soccer landscape. Prepare to be a part of something truly special. The world is coming to our doorstep, and together, we will make history.”
The match schedule announcement was broadcast live across the United States, Mexico and Canada through FIFA broadcast partners, and streamed live on FIFA platforms for fans around the world.
“Dallas is the perfect city to host these major FIFA World Cup matches and is ready to showcase both our passion for football and our hospitality on the world stage,” said Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson. “Dallas is the best sports city in the United States, and we have worked tirelessly to make Dallas a truly international city. FIFA’s decision affirms the fact that Dallas has arrived on the world stage, and we are ready to welcome football fans from all over the world to Big D.”
“We are so proud of the entire North Texas community and of the hard work that the committee went through to bring an event of this caliber to our stadium, Arlington and North Texas,” said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross. We are excited to be one of the host cities for FIFA World Cup 26”
Millions of fans will travel to the Dallas region, and the 15 other Host Cities across the United States, Mexico and Canada for FIFA World Cup 26TM matches. Host cities include Atlanta, Boston, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver.
Fans can pre-register for FIFA World Cup 26TM ticket information at fifa.com/tickets. Individuals are encouraged to sign up via dallasfwc26.com/volunteer to receive information about volunteer opportunities when they become available. Fans can engage in the excitement through social media via @FWC26Dallas.
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About Dallas Sports Commission
A division of Visit Dallas, the Dallas Sports Commission (DSC) focuses on generating economic impact as well as improving the quality of life within the community through sports. The DSC is tasked with attracting and retaining amateur, grassroots, collegiate and professional championship events, with the goal of maintaining Dallas’ status as the No. 1 City for Sports Business as determined by Sports Business Journal. Now celebrating its 10-Year Anniversary, the DSC has hosted 570+ events, 8.1M+ attendees, and generated over $4.3B in economic impact.
FIFA World Cup 26TM will be the biggest sports event ever, with three Host Countries, 16 Host Cities, 48 teams and 104 matches uniting an entire continent to showcase a momentous new tournament format. With more countries, cities, teams, and games FIFA World Cup 26TM will be the most inclusive tournament ever, engaging millions of fans across 16 unique stadiums and billions worldwide. The tournament will take place in June and July 2026. For the latest FIFA World Cup 26TM information please visit the FIFA World Cup 26™ website. For media representatives wishing to stay up-to-date on all things 2026, please register via the FIFA Media Hub.
AT&T Stadium will adopt a new venue name for the FIFA World Cup 26TM, Dallas Stadium in the city of Arlington.
