North Texas is getting ready for the 2026 World Cup. With 9 matches set in Arlington, leaders face big questions: Can our roads and transit handle the crowds?
HURST, Texas — In less than a year, Arlington will become a focal point for international sports fans as it hosts nine matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup — including four elimination games — at AT&T Stadium.
FC Dallas President Dan Hunt said North Texas was an easy choice for FIFA thanks to its premier stadium and numerous nearby training facilities.
“We have six sites around the metroplex — Toyota Stadium, Soccer Center, Mansfield, TCU, DBU,” Hunt said at the Tarrant Transportation Summit. For visiting teams not based in the area, training will take place at the Cotton Bowl and SMU.
The event is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of fans, with 700,000 tickets slated to go on sale and up to 30,000 parking spots available near the stadium. The influx of people raises key questions about transportation and infrastructure.
“How are we getting people to the game?” Hunt was asked during a panel moderated by the voice of the Dallas Mavericks, Chuck Cooperstein, at the Tarrant Transportation Summit in Hurst on Thursday.
Hunt said North Texas is served by two major airports, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field, along with several smaller regional airports. He talked about the tailgating culture at AT&T Stadium and hopes visitors can experience it.
However, road congestion remains a concern in a region where most residents rely on personal vehicles over public transit. Tarrant County Commissioner Matt Krause acknowledged the likely impact on traffic, estimating about 39 days of increased congestion across the region.
“People of North Texas are going to have to be prepared for that,” he said.
As of now, no new public transportation expansions have been announced. Krause said transit options like DART and Trinity Metro will be relied upon, and emerging technologies — including autonomous vehicles — could play a larger role by the time the World Cup begins.
Krause added that the looming global event may finally prompt long-overdue infrastructure improvements.
“We need to get those done now before 2026,” he said.
With just under a year to go, transportation officials across North Texas face the challenge of getting the region game-day ready.