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FIFA World Cup 2026 Travel Guide

As home to one of the largest stadiums and with an impressive lineup of matches, including the semi-final, Dallas plays an important role among the host cities for the FIFA World Cup 26.

Everything’s big in Texas, and AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, has a capacity of 92,000 spectators. Located in Arlington, it has about 15,000 parking spaces, which makes it all the more important for World Cup ticketholders to use of taxis, rideshare, and public transportation.

For the World Cup, Dallas is hosting a whopping nine matches — more than any other host city.

• Sunday, June 14, 2026: Group Stage (Group F)
• Wednesday, June 17, 2026: Group Stage (Group L)
• Monday, June 22, 2026: Group Stage (Group J)
• Thursday, June 25, 2026: Group Stage (Group F)
• Saturday, June 27, 2026: Group Stage (Group J)
• Tuesday, June 30, 2026: Round of 32 (Group E runners-up vs. Group I runners-up)
• Friday, July 3, 2026: Round of 32 (Group D runners-up vs. Group G runners-up)
• Monday, July 6, 2026: Round of 16 (Winner of Match 83 vs. Winner of Match 84)
• Tuesday, July 14, 2026: Semi-Final

“On behalf of the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee and the Dallas Host City, we look forward to welcoming soccer fans from all across the globe to our region next summer during FIFA World Cup 26,” says Monica Paul, North Texas FWC organizing committee president and Dallas Sports Commission executive director. “As one of the 16 Official Host Cities for FIFA World Cup 26, Dallas and the North Texas region will host a tournament-high nine matches, a semi-final and the International Broadcast Center along with other fan-focused events to be announced soon that will make our region the center of the soccer universe next summer.”

If you love soccer, you’ll love Dallas, which hosted its first FIFA World Cup at Cotton Bowl Stadium in 1994. That event has been credited with boosting the sport’s popularity in the US, a youth soccer movement, and the creation of Major League Soccer. In 1994, Dallas was selected as the location for the tournament’s media broadcasting central hub, a distinction held by the city once again in 2026.

The men’s professional MLS team is FC Dallas, based at Toyota Stadium in nearby Frisco. In summer 2024, a new professional women’s team, Dallas Trinity FC, kicked off at their new home, the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium. With a face to the future, a professional men’s team known as Atlético Dallas will start playing in the USL Championship in 2027.

Dallas attracts more than 27 million annual visitors, with nearly three times that number visiting the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area each year. Two major airports — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Dallas Love Field (DAL) — make getting in and out during the World Cup quick and easy for athletes, coaches, dignitaries, and enthusiastic attendees. As a global hub for air travel, DFW is one of the world’s largest and busiest, with extensive connections worldwide. The region has more than 130,000 hotel rooms to support all of those travelers coming in.

“While these numbers are impressive, this is the beginning of a new era,” says Visit Dallas president and CEO Craig Davis. “The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas Master Plan, new airport developments, the FIFA World Cup 26, and projected hotel growth will only increase our industry’s positive impact on our city’s residents.”

The Dallas drive market is also significant for visitors from Texas cities and nearby states. Austin is less than 3 hours away, Oklahoma City 3.5 hours, Houston and Tulsa 4 hours, and San Antonio 4.5 hours.

Photo: CK Foto/Shutterstock

Visit Dallas, the official tourism organization, recommends visitors use public transport to the venue from the airport and continue to rely on public transport in the city, whenever possible.
Several options are available to reach AT&T Stadium from downtown Dallas. The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) operates between Dallas Union Station and CentrePort/DFW Airport Station. Connect from CentrePort for game day special shuttles to get to the stadium. Note that TRE does not operate on Sundays, so alternative transportation should be arranged for Sunday events.

Alternatively, rideshare services like Uber and Lyft provide direct transportation from downtown Dallas to AT&T Stadium, typically taking around 25–35 minutes, depending on traffic. Designated rideshare pickup and drop-off zones are clearly marked near AT&T Stadium.

A mobility plan is currently in the works and will be in place before the tournament begins for teams, VIPs, and fans looking to get between the airports, stadiums, and hotels, says North Texas FWC Organizing Committee President and Dallas Sports Commission executive director Monica Paul.

Dallas is the only 2026 World Cup host city that offers Western flair mixed with world-class urban chops. Here’s what you need to know to plan your World Cup trip.

The world’s biggest soccer tournament is a popular event, and hotels are expected to fill up quickly. Fortunately, you have lot of options in Dallas.

From British pubs that don’t mess around to classic American sports bars with giant projectors and patios, here’s where to watch the World Cup — no ticket required.