The FIFA World Cup will return to the United States in 2026. We already know all the arenas where the US tournament will be played. The hosts of the major World Cup matches remain an open question, and one city hoping to host the final is Dallas with its AT&T Stadium.

State-of-the-art facility in Texas

When the US$1.3 billion AT&T Stadium, then known as Cowboys Stadium, opened, its capacity of 80,000 made it the largest in the NFL, but a rearrangement of seating could increase capacity significantly. Just weeks after the inauguration, 105,121 fans watched the Cowboys game against the NY Giants. The number is still a record for regular season attendance.

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AT&T is a truly unique example of an NFL stadium with genuine multi-purpose capabilities. Over the years, the facility has served as host to many events, not just related ones. It will be difficult to count them all, but let's at least list the most significant of them: the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, Super Bowl XLV, 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship, 2014 NCAA men's Final Four and WrestleMania 32 and 38. The arena will host the world's best soccer players competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Sports fans in The Lone Star State can look for popular betting events in Texas.

Will AT&T Stadium host the FIFA World Cup final?

An official announcement is expected in September regarding who will host the men's World Cup semi-final matches, the final match and where the international broadcast centre will be. CBS News Texas spoke to Dallas Sports Commission executive director Monica Paul, who says it is preparing to host at least six games in 2026. When an unconfirmed report recently surfaced saying AT&T Stadium would host the final game of the 2026 Men's World Cup, Paul says the commission was not made aware of it.

Paul, along with the Jones family ( who own the Dallas Cowboys) and the Hunt family (who own FC Dallas and the Kansas City Chiefs), have spearheaded efforts that have already helped North Texas host six games in 2026. Although the event seems so far away, they have worked hard for more than 10 years to bring it together.

© Brandi Korte (cc: by-nc-nd)

In Dallas, they are hoping to hold the final of the tournament in their city, if only because their stadium is the largest on the roster. The overall list of selected hosts includes 11 cities (two more than in 1994) from the USA, as well as three Mexican and two Canadian cities. The tournament will take place on a yet unspecified date from June to July 19, 2026.