Reports surfaced Tuesday that Arlington, Texas, will host the 2026 World Cup final. AT&T Stadium, the current home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, would be the winning venue for the big game.
Despite the rumors, Dallas Sports Commission Executive Director Monica Paul said a final decision has not yet been made.
“We believe that Dallas is the perfect host for the 2026 World Cup. [final]Paul said. “FIFA has been an incredible partner at every step of the bid process, and we look forward to an announcement of the host city in 2023. We are delighted that football fans around the world are eagerly awaiting news from FIFA.”
However, there are some notable drawbacks with AT&T Stadium if it were officially chosen to host the final.
Artificial grass
AT&T Stadium currently has an artificial field. While they use a different type of grass for football games compared to NFL games, it’s still not real grass. The teams recently installed a Hellas Matrix REAL synthetic turf with Realfill infill in the stadium. Regardless, grass is more prone to injury than real grass.
FIFA, however, requires natural grass. This did not prevent FIFA from selecting a number of venues that traditionally use artificial turf. AT&T Stadium joins SoFi Stadium, MetLife Stadium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Lumen Field, among others, in being users of artificial turf. Each of these places must use real grass. Therefore, this tone is temporary, perhaps prone to failure when putting it together.
State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, could be a model for how an indoor stadium like AT&T Stadium can effectively use real grass. However, other World Cup venues would be more confident in using real grass.
Transportation
Public transportation is an issue when you go to a game at AT&T Stadium. While taxis and companies like Uber or Lyft take fans to the stadium, there doesn’t appear to be a bus or train from Dallas to Arlington. A taxi ride from the heart of Dallas to the stadium could also cost up to $50.
Of course, public transportation is not necessarily the strong point of many places within the United States. That said, preparations are likely to be made regarding increased ease of access for the millions who come to the country for the tournament.
We do not know of any final decision. But we are proud to have been named the host city of the World Cup, and we strongly believe that Dallas is an ideal location for the 2026 World Cup Final and the International Broadcast Center. @fairparkdallas @visit_dallashttps://t.co/Nw5VVFEmMv
— Mayor Eric Johnson (@Johnson4Dallas) September 27, 2022
However, some hotels in the area offer transfers to and from the stadium. It would be wise to check in advance before booking a stay.
The stadium looks from east to west
Although most modern stadiums now face north-south, AT&T Stadium faces east-west. Basically, this means that fans and players can have the sun in their eyes depending on the time of day. This frustrating feature bothered people inside the stadium for years.
Although the stadium has a retractable roof, there are huge windows along the sides of the walls. These windows let in sunlight and make it difficult to see in the late afternoon. NFL games with the Dallas Cowboys, which usually start around 4:30 pm ET, are under constant threat of sun during play.
When the World Cup comes around and the games are held at the same time locally, the same issues could arise.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire
