From “Melee in the USA” to Mexico and Canada-themed brews, a Dallas brewery is turning World Cup excitement into a local tradition.
DALLAS, Texas — As the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup grows louder across North Texas, one Dallas brewery is already pouring its celebration by the pint.
At Peticolas Brewing Company, the World Cup has become more than just a tournament. For the last 14 years, it’s been a brewing tradition.
This summer, with North Texas set to host more World Cup matches than any other region in the country, owner Michael Peticolas unveiled the brewery’s latest soccer-inspired release: “Melee in the USA.”
“It’s the time for us right now,” Peticolas said. “I mean, it’s time to shine.”
Inside the Design District brewery, soccer chatter now hums almost as steadily as the taps themselves.
“Every day you hear news about the World Cup,” Peticolas said. “It’s on people’s minds.”
For Peticolas, the tournament sits at the crossroads of his two biggest passions. “I have two passions in life,” he said. “Beer and soccer.”
That intersection has shaped a brewery tradition stretching back to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. “We brewed our first tribute beer, ‘Thrilla in Brazilla,’” Peticolas recalled. “And it was a massive success.”
What started as a one-off idea quickly evolved into a recurring World Cup ritual.
For the 2018 tournament in Russia, the brewery released “Rumble in Russia.” Four years later, during the World Cup in Qatar, came “Spar in Qatar.”
The naming convention draws inspiration from the larger-than-life fight nicknames and spectacle surrounding boxing legend Muhammad Ali and his era.
Now, with Dallas preparing to become one of the epicenters of the 2026 tournament, Peticolas said the brewery wanted a beer that matched the moment.
“Melee in the USA,” an American pale ale, officially hit store shelves a little more than a month ago.
“Just classic beer,” Peticolas said. “Cracker-like maltiness in the back, but all about these tropical hops.”
He described it as “easy to drink, easy to have a bunch of.”
The response, he said, has been overwhelming.
“It’s the most popular release we’ve had in four, five, six, seven years,” Peticolas said.
And the World Cup-inspired releases are far from finished.
Peticolas said another beer tied to matches in Mexico, called “TKO in Mexico,” is already on the way. A Canadian-inspired brew is also planned ahead of the international tournament shared by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
“The beer’s got to be fantastic,” Peticolas said, “and you want the branding to be fantastic.”
The brewery has also become an official watch party destination for fans of the U.S. Men’s National Team, further cementing its role as a gathering place for soccer supporters in Dallas.
For Peticolas, the World Cup celebration also represents something personal.
Before opening the brewery, he worked as an attorney and played soccer. Now, years after trading courtrooms for craft beer, he said moments like this feel surreal.
“I’m riding the wave,” he said. “I’m having such a ball.”
Because while the world prepares to come to Dallas next summer, inside this brewery, the celebration has already begun.
And here? They’ll happily drink to that.