Beyond The Cotton Bowl: Dallas' New Era For FIFA World Cup 2026
It was the Cotton Bowl, and six matches then. The venue entered football folklore as Romario, Bebeto, and Branco helped Brazil beat Dennis Bergkamp's Netherlands before a rousing crowd of 63,500. An unforgettable FIFA World Cup 1994 quarter-final! Fast forward to 2026; it will have a bigger dream. It will stage nine matches, including four knockouts, giving Texas more fixtures than any other host city. The mouth-watering lineup features Netherlands vs Japan (June 14), England vs Croatia (June 17), Argentina vs Austria (June 22), Japan vs Sweden (June 25), and Jordan vs Argentina (June 27), before the two round of 32 knockout matches (June 30 and July 3), a round of 16 clash (July 6), and the first semi-final on July 14. This venue in Arlington has even stripped away its corporate branding and will be known as Dallas Stadium, temporarily, instead of AT&T Stadium. Welcome to a Texas-sized World Cup.
A man looks towards AT&T Stadium, and its covered signage, which will be named Dallas Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as preparations continue at the venue ahead of the soccer tournament, Arlington, Texas. | Photo: AP/Jessica Tobias
A worker installs signage on the glass of AT&T Stadium, which will be named Dallas Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as preparations continue at the venue ahead of the soccer tournament, in Arlington, Texas. ( | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
A worker labors on the roof of AT&T Stadium, which will be named Dallas Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as preparations continue at the venue ahead of the soccer tournament, in Arlington. | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
Workers labor a light post near AT&T Stadium, which will be named Dallas Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as preparations continue at the venue ahead of the soccer tournament, in Arlington. | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
Signage on the exterior of AT&T Stadium, which will be named Dallas Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is covered by workers as preparations continue at the venue ahead of the soccer tournament, in Arlington. | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
A worker installs signage on the glass of AT&T Stadium, which will be named Dallas Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as preparations continue at the venue ahead of the soccer tournament, in Arlington, Texas. | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
A worker installs signage on the glass of AT&T Stadium, which will be named Dallas Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as preparations continue at the venue ahead of the soccer tournament, in Arlington, Texas. | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
A worker installs signage on the glass of AT&T Stadium, which will be named Dallas Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as preparations continue at the venue ahead of the soccer tournament, in Arlington, Texas. | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
Grow lights illuminate part of the field at AT&T Stadium during a preview of the grass installed at Dallas Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
The shoe of Ewen Hodge, head of pitch infrastructure with FIFA, is seen near the threshold between grass and artificial turf during a preview of the grass installed at Dallas Stadium, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
Grow lights illuminate part of the field at AT&T Stadium during a preview of the grass installed at Dallas Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
Grow lights illuminate part of the field at AT&T Stadium during a preview of the grass installed at Dallas Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
Grow lights illuminate part of the field at AT&T Stadium during a preview of the grass installed at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
Grow lights illuminate part of the field at AT&T Stadium during a preview of the grass installed at Dallas Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
Workers ride a cart near the field during a preview of the grass installed at Dallas Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. | Photo: AP/Julio Cortez
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