AT&T Stadium

About AT&T Stadium

Everything is bigger in Texas, and AT&T Stadium proves it. With a maximum capacity of 94,000, it’s the largest venue in the entire FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament — a cathedral of glass and steel that redefines what a stadium can be.

Built in 2009 as Cowboys Stadium (renamed AT&T Stadium in 2013), this is the $1.3 billion vision of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. The retractable roof spans 660,800 square feet. The center-hung video board — once the world’s largest — stretches 160 feet wide and 72 feet tall, hanging 90 feet above the playing surface. The end zone glass doors, at 120 feet tall, are the largest operable glass doors in the world.

AT&T Stadium sits in Arlington, Texas, roughly equidistant between Dallas and Fort Worth. It’s the home of the Dallas Cowboys, America’s most valuable sports franchise, and has hosted Super Bowl XLV, multiple College Football Playoff games, NCAA Final Fours, and major boxing and MMA events. For 2026, it earns a Semi-Final — fitting for a venue of this magnitude.

The stadium will install natural grass over its synthetic turf for World Cup matches, as FIFA mandates. With the retractable roof, FIFA and match officials can control the environment — a significant advantage during the brutal Texas summer, when temperatures regularly exceed 100°F.

Getting to AT&T Stadium

Public Transit

Here’s the honest truth: Arlington has no public bus system and no rail station within walking distance of the stadium. This is the biggest transit challenge of any World Cup 2026 venue.

DART Rail (Dallas): The nearest DART light rail station is CentrePort/DFW Airport on the Orange Line, approximately 5 miles from the stadium. On event days, shuttle services typically run from this station.

TEXRail (Fort Worth): Fort Worth’s TEXRail line also connects to CentrePort/DFW Airport station.

World Cup shuttle plans: For 2026, the local organizing committee is planning dedicated shuttle bus services from both Dallas (DART stations) and Fort Worth (TEXRail/Trinity Metro stations) directly to the stadium. Details and schedules will be announced closer to the tournament.

The reality: Most people drive or rideshare to AT&T Stadium. Plan accordingly.

Driving + Parking

AT&T Stadium is easily accessible from I-30 (between Dallas and Fort Worth) and the surrounding highway network. GPS: “1 AT&T Way, Arlington, TX 76011.”

The stadium complex has over 12,000 official parking spaces, with prices ranging from $20 for distant lots to $75+ for premium proximity. Thousands of additional private lots surround the stadium.

Pre-purchase your parking pass. On World Cup match days, the area will be packed with visitors unfamiliar with the layout. Having a reserved spot eliminates a major stress point.

Rideshare

Uber and Lyft are the primary alternatives to driving. Designated pickup/drop-off zones are located on the east side of the stadium complex. A ride from downtown Dallas costs approximately $30-50; from Fort Worth, $25-40. Expect significant surge pricing after matches.

From the Airport

FIFA World Cup 2026 at AT&T Stadium

AT&T Stadium brings the biggest capacity and the most advanced infrastructure to the World Cup. As a Semi-Final venue, it will host some of the tournament’s most consequential matches.

Expected matches: 8 total — group stage, knockout rounds, and a Semi-Final.

Why it matters: At 94,000 capacity, AT&T Stadium will produce the largest crowds of the entire tournament. The Semi-Final here will be a spectacle of scale that few venues in the world can match.

Climate control: The retractable roof is a game-changer. Arlington in June and July sees temperatures regularly above 100°F (38°C). FIFA can close the roof and activate the air conditioning system, creating comfortable conditions for players and fans alike. This is a significant advantage over open-air venues in the heat of a North American summer.

Pitch conversion: The synthetic turf will be replaced with natural grass for all World Cup matches. AT&T Stadium has experience with this — it has hosted soccer matches before with temporary grass installations.

The video board: The massive center-hung display will enhance the match experience with replays, statistics, and atmosphere elements. There’s nothing else like it in world soccer.

History of AT&T Stadium

AT&T Stadium opened on May 27, 2009, the culmination of Jerry Jones’s vision for the most advanced sports venue ever built. The $1.3 billion price tag made it the most expensive sports venue ever constructed at the time. The city of Arlington contributed $325 million through a half-cent sales tax increase approved by voters in 2004.

Super Bowl XLV (2011): The Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in the stadium’s first Super Bowl. The event drew 103,219 fans — the largest Super Bowl attendance to date — though the game was marred by temporary seating issues that left some ticketholders without seats.

College Football Playoff: AT&T Stadium has hosted multiple CFP Semifinal games (Cotton Bowl Classic) and the 2015 inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship. It’s become a premier destination for college football’s biggest games.

Boxing and combat sports: The stadium has hosted major boxing events including Canelo Álvarez fights and UFC events, taking advantage of its flexible floor configuration and massive capacity.

Concerts: The Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Kenny Chesney, George Strait, and many more have sold out the venue. George Strait’s 2014 farewell concert set a US indoor attendance record of 104,793.

The center-hung video board, while no longer the world’s largest (SoFi Stadium in LA now holds that record), remains one of the most impressive pieces of stadium technology ever installed. It weighs 1.2 million pounds and required custom structural engineering to hang from the roof trusses.

AT&T Stadium represents the pinnacle of the modern American mega-stadium. It was built to host the biggest events in the world, and in 2026, it gets one of the biggest: a FIFA World Cup Semi-Final in front of 94,000 fans. Texas-sized, indeed.