Carla and Alejandra Villarreal are accustomed to the synchrony of life as twins — but this World Cup has been a whole new ballgame for the second-grade teacher and financial analyst from Mesquite.

Why it matters: The Villarreal twins have served as flag bearers for every World Cup match at Dallas Stadium so far, standing next to the teams they grew up watching on TV.

How it happened: After volunteering at races, book conventions and other events for years, the sisters decided to try their luck with the World Cup.

• They earned their spots after several rounds of interviews. Getting assigned to Dallas Stadium's ceremonies team and then landing the same role as flag bearers was like winning the lottery, they tell Axios.
• "I could hear my dad's voice, like 'If you don't ask, it's an automatic no.' So we're like, 'Wouldn't it be cool to have twins hold the flags?'" Carla tells Axios.

The intrigue: When Dallas Stadium hosts a match, their proud parents tune in from their hometown of Monterrey, Mexico. Their Dallas friends who don't care for soccer have been tuning in as well.

• The Argentina flag was Carla's favorite — the flag of the defending World Cup champions, she says.
• Alejandra says holding the Japan flag was her favorite because she has obsessed over Japanese culture for most of her life.

How it works: While there are other flag bearers on the field before kickoff, the Villarreal sisters are responsible for the flags that flank the teams during introductions.

Yes, but: Volunteering with FIFA doesn't guarantee a seat at the stadium. The sisters have only stayed to watch some of the group stage matches, depending on capacity.

• Sometimes, they leave after kickoff and watch the match from home.

What they're saying: "[The players] are people that have worked hard to get where they are — standing there with them and hearing everybody singing their anthems is just very, very emotional," Carla says.

• "We've seen soccer games from the stands many times, but to actually be on the field is something else," Alejandra adds.

What's next: They're already talking about volunteering at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

World Cup fans who can't afford match tickets have been hitting up the FIFA Fan Festival instead.

Why it matters: Most of the 2026 host cities have kept their fan festivals free, hoping to give locals a more affordable way to enjoy the tournament.

• International visitors are also adding fan festivals to their itinerary as they follow their teams throughout the U.S.

By the numbers: Dallas' Fan Festival site has a capacity of roughly 35,000 at any given time, Noelle LeVeaux, a spokesperson for the North Texas FIFA World Cup organizing committee, tells Axios.

Reality check: Forget about riding the Texas Star or snapping a selfie with the Hall of State — the festival isn't on the fairgrounds.

• We paid $20 in cash to park in an unpaved area a few blocks away.

Vibe check: Turf, TVs, shades and carnival-style food stalls made us forget we were roaming parking lots adjacent to the State Fair of Texas site.

• The activations include free sunscreen, water fountains, cooling towels and customizable charm bracelets with long wait times.
• Dos Equis Pavilion has a large screen and can accommodate thousands of fans at once. There are screens throughout the site.

Follow the money: Expenses can add up. Water and soda cost $7. Food options include a slice of pickle pizza for $14 and a cheeseburger basket for $18.

Pro tip: The amphitheater has lots of seating for GA ticket holders. It helps to arrive early and claim a good spot.

The bottom line: "Don't just come for the game and don't just stop at the food. Go to the end of the route — walk the whole thing and actually talk to people," says Kaden Ballard, who has been to the festival several times.

👑 The king of Jordan and his family visited Arlington over the weekend to watch the country play Argentina. (Roya News)

🚨 A former Texas Rangers catcher's brother-in-law and nephew died in the Venezuela earthquakes that killed over 1,400 people. (DMN)

🚲 The Frisco Triathlon Club is advocating for more protections for bicyclists after two members were fatally struck near Pilot Point in January. (NBC5)

A profound identity crisis has gripped America ahead of its 250th birthday: Citizens are less proud, less religiously unified and losing faith that the American Dream still works.

Why it matters: Democracies can survive policy brawls. They struggle to function when citizens lose faith in shared institutions, abandon a common civic story and use politics to replace religion and community.

The big picture: 51% of Americans say they are extremely or very proud of being American, down sharply from 82% in 2013, per a new survey from the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI).

• Less than half of Democrats believe that being born in America (42%), believing in God (41%) or being Christian (29%) are important to national identity.
• Majorities of Republicans say being born in America, believing in God and being Christian are important to being truly American.

The bottom line: Only 18% of Americans are extremely or very proud of the way democracy is working in America today.