By: Annabella Dunn ’25
In 2022 after a grueling round of penalty kicks, Argentina prevailed over France in the Men’s World Cup. With a record of over 1.5 billion people watching the match on television, the final became one of the most widely viewed televised sporting events in history. Fast forward almost a year and a half, and decisions about the 2026 Men’s World Cup match locations have already been decided.
In 2026, 48 teams will travel from their home countries to North America– 45 qualifying nations plus the three host countries (United States, Mexico, and Canada) — to play in the World Cup. As hosts, United States, Mexico, and Canada, will not need to go through the North, Central America, and Caribbean (CONCAF) qualifying competition. This new format of the World Cup features sixteen more teams than the old format, which allowed for thirty-two teams.
With a 50% increase in teams, this is the largest expansion the World Cup has seen, which makes it difficult for any one country to host the event. The International Federation of Association of Football (FIFA) has decided that sixteen cities will host the 2026 World Cup, and Dallas has been named as one of those host cities. The AT&T Stadium in Dallas will host nine matches including a semi-final, four eliminations round games, and a final match on the last group stage elimination day, which makes Dallas the primary host for the 2026 World Cup.
Other host cities in the United States include Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), Boston (Gillete Stadium), Houston (NRG Stadium), Kansas City (Arrowhead Stadium), Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium), Miami (Hard Rock Stadium), New York/New Jersey (MetLife Stadium), Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field), San Francisco Bay Area (Levi’s Stadium), and Seattle (Lumen Field).
Some may ask, “Why Dallas?” Well, to start, Dallas has two major airports—Dallas Love Field and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. With two airports, Dallas will easily be able to receive the anticipated hundreds of thousands of people coming to watch the matches.
Dallas also has a prime location. Its central location in the United States and globally accessible airport makes it an ideal city to host the World Cup.
Having hosted Super Bowl’s and many men’s and women’s national team matches in the past few years, Dallas also has a large amount of experience in hosting large sporting events.
Additionally, Dallas has a world-class venue, the AT&T Stadium. The AT&T Stadium is not only one of the largest stadiums in the United States, but one of the largest stadiums in the world. Its standout features are the world’s largest domed structure, a retractable roof, and a video board that stretches from one twenty-yard line to the other. Covering three million feet, and a seating capacity of over 80,000, the AT&T stadium will be able to fit the large crowds of the World Cup.
One thing that Arlington does not have is a mass public transit system of its own, which raises great concern, and almost prevented FIFA from making Dallas the primary host city. To combat this severe problem, significant upgrades are planned for the Trinity Railway Express CentrePort
Station in Fort Worth. These upgrades will provide enhanced rail service for travelers. The enhancements include amenity and signage upgrades that have already been funded, and new locomotives that officials hope a federal grant will partially fund. Also, Traffic signal, message signs, sidewalk and shade structure upgrades will provide a facelift to the area around the stadium.
Officials state that Dallas will be prepped and ready well before the world cup to host its nine games over the thirty-nine-day tournament, and many Dallas residents are excited that to show their amazing city to citizens from all around the world.
THE BEAR FACTS 