How fans will arrive at World Cup games in Dallas-Fort Worth
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This football-shaped building is preparing to host the world's biggest soccer tournament. Photo: Kirby Lee/Getty Images
AT&T Stadium is the place to be for soccer fans for nine days this summer — and the place to avoid for everyone else.
Why it matters: North Texas has the opportunity to present the best version of itself when soccer fans descend on the region for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The big picture: The World Cup's footprint will be spread out across North Texas.
- The fan festival will be in Fair Park, the International Broadcast Center will be in downtown Dallas, team base camps will be in Mansfield and Frisco, and matches will be at AT&T Stadium.
- Arlington doesn't have a public transit system, which has complicated the planning process.
The latest: Fans won't be able to be dropped off at the stadium for matches, per a transportation plan unveiled this week.
- DART and Trinity Metro will add extra cars to their trains and increase their frequencies on match days to accommodate extra passengers.
- After arriving by train at CentrePort Station near DFW Airport, fans with a match ticket will be bused to a hub near the stadium and walk a half-mile to the entrance.
For locals: The local World Cup committee is asking North Texans to work from home on match days or limit driving before and after matches to help minimize traffic.
- For locals attending a match, the committee suggests driving to the stadium to free up space on trains and buses for international visitors.
- There will be 16,000 parking spaces per match, and the toll lanes along Interstate 30 will be reversed as needed.
- For the fan festival in Dallas, fans can take DART to Fair Park or park in a nearby lot.
For visitors: DFW Airport says it will have ambassadors at each terminal to guide travelers to their destination.
- The local transit authorities are also adding signs, misters and shaded areas to their stations. They suggest downloading the GoPass app to buy fares in advance.
What they're saying: "This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. World Cups don't come by too often," says Monica Paul, executive director of the Dallas Sports Commission.
- "The last time we hosted one was 1994, and I still hear discussions about that and the experience that people had."