“I would say close to about eight Super Bowls.”

Monica Paul
Executive Director
Dallas Sports Commission
.…on the impact a 2026 World Cup Final would have on North Texas, via the Dallas Morning News.

It’s officially unofficial that the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final—the greatest sports event on earth to be viewed by billions of people worldwide—will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. 

It’s unofficial because the official announcement won’t be made by FIFA until February 4. But that’s not stopping growing buzz—especially since the British tabloid The Sun corner-kicked out a report that Jerry World has already won the prize, beating out MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the home of the NFL’s Jets and Giants.

The Sun claimed it had been told that “FIFA chiefs” have already chosen AT&T Stadium to host The Final. It also reported that FIFA, the international governing body for global soccer, will make Dallas its “main base” for the entire 2026 World Cup tournament, beating out Miami and New York.

In September, Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones and Texas Governor Greg Abbott both pitched AT&T Stadium as the venue for The Final to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was attending the ‘Pokes 30-10 win over the Jets.

Dallas is one of 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup, with 80 matches scheduled to be played across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Even without The Final happening in Arlington, the World Cup is expected to produce more than $400 million in economic impact on Dallas-Fort Worth while creating more than 3,000 temporary jobs here, according to the Dallas Sports Commission.

In October, Dallas billionaire Clark Hunt, owner of the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and chairman and CEO of FC Dallas, sat down with Anurag Jain at the Venture Dallas Summit. One thing he talked about was the four biggest matches slated for the 2026 World Cup, including the opener, the two semi-final matches, and The Final.

“I think Dallas has a very good chance to get one of those four big games, and perhaps even The Final—which would be amazing,” he said.

You can read more on Clark’s blueprint for sports success forged from his family’s nine decades of shaping American sports in our story here.

And you can read more about the impact of a World Cup Final on North Texas in Kevin Sherrington’s Dallas Morning News story here.

For more of who said what about all things North Texas, check out Every Last Word.

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