The Dallas Cowboys have been partial to Pepsi for decades, but Coca-Cola is temporarily taking over their stadium this summer because of the World Cup.

Why it matters: The FIFA effect means venues across North America are covering their existing branding and accommodating external sponsors and products.

• The Cowboys' usual partnerships include Pepsi and Nike.

Driving the news: The World Cup begins in Mexico City on Thursday. The Netherlands and Japan play Dallas Stadium's first match on June 14.

State of play: Tarps conceal the large AT&T Stadium sign outside the venue, Cowboys merchandise has been removed from the Pro Shops, and Coca-Cola coolers have replaced Pepsi ones.

• Even the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders' locker room had a Coke fridge when we toured the stadium last month.

The intrigue: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones advocated for FIFA to pick AT&T Stadium as a host venue for the 2026 tournament.

• "I couldn't be prouder to welcome one of the world's most popular sports inside the home of the Dallas Cowboys, and I am confident our fan base will respond with an energy befitting 'The Beautiful Game,'" Jones said in 2022.
• The agreement led to a slew of changes, such as installing a natural grass pitch and getting rid of field-level suites to accommodate the soccer pitch's dimensions.
• Stadium tours have also been co-opted to cover more World Cup prep than Cowboys history.

Reality check: The Cowboys will have a tight turnaround to prepare their stadium for the upcoming NFL season.

• Arlington's last World Cup match is on July 14, a semifinal. The Cowboys host a home preseason game on Aug. 28.

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North Texans have a chance tomorrow to see a piece of 9/11 history that is touring the country to remind Americans of the lives lost in the attacks.

The big picture: September marks 25 years since the 9/11 attacks.

• The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is taking a 16,000-pound beam that was recovered from the World Trade Center's South Tower to 21 states and Washington, D.C. this summer. The beam will return to Ground Zero in September.

Zoom in: The beam appeared at the National Medal of Honor Museum for a private event on Friday and will be on display at the Fort Worth Stockyards.

• The tour hopes to "pay tribute to the heroes who answered the call on September 11, 2001, and honor those who continue to serve our nation every day," the foundation said in a statement.

If you go: The beam will be on display in Fort Worth from 11am-2pm tomorrow.

🏨 The former Sheraton Arlington Hotel imploded on Saturday to make room for a new Loews hotel. (NBC5)

📄 Bell Textron Inc., a Fort Worth-based defense contractor, announced it was laying off hundreds of employees in Texas and Kansas. (Fort Worth Report)

💨 UTA researchers plan to study how the World Cup will impact the air quality near AT&T Stadium, DFW Airport and other parts of North Texas. (DMN)

Written in neon,

Is this reminder,

That wonder and whimsy

Make you way less whiny.

📬 Do you know where in North Texas this art resides? Reply with the answer, and the first reader to guess correctly will get a shoutout in a future newsletter.