As FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches, the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee is launching the North Texas Sports Foundation, established to extend the legacy of the world’s biggest sporting event with “long-term, positive regional impact through sports-driven community transformation.” The North Texas Sports Foundation will be designated as the Official Dallas World Cup 2026 Legacy Supporter.

The foundation’s flagship community initiative is designed to raise funds for children’s sports, healthy public spaces, and community art with the Texan Golden Boot sculpture in the Arlington Entertainment District and an accompanying “Buy a Brick” campaign. 

FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature 9 matches in North Texas, all taking place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

“This is how North Texas turns a global moment into something permanent,” Monica Paul, president of the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee, said in a statement. “The Golden Boot creates a physical place where leadership and community come together. When the World Cup leaves, this legacy will remain and tell the story of a region that invested in its people and its future.”

The Texan Golden Boot

The Texan Golden Boot will be located in Arlington’s Entertainment District and will serve as a permanent public art landmark that symbolizes the connection between global sport and Texas heritage. Forged from locally sourced reclaimed metal, the Texan Golden Boot was created by internationally recognized sculptor Steve Ekpenisi, known as “The Iron Sculptor,” and curated and produced by Street Art for Mankind.

The sculpture will honor North Texas as both a host region and as a place where tradition and ambition meet—where the world is welcomed while “proudly affirming what makes Texas, Texas,” the organizations said.

The organizations said that they expect the Texan Golden Boot to become one of the most photographed and recognized public artworks associated with a U.S. World Cup Host City, “positioning North Texas as a place where sport, culture, sustainability and community investment come together.”

The North Texas Sports Foundation said it will announce the Texan Golden Boot’s site location and unveiling in the coming months.

Buy a Brick Campaign

The Buy a Brick Campaign invites organizations, individuals, and families to take part in the World Cup legacy by purchasing engraved bricks ranging from $500 to $5,000. Each donor’s name will be featured on a brick placed around the Texan Golden Boot sculpture, ensuring their contribution remains permanently connected to a piece of history honoring the World Cup event.

Major contributors who donate $50,000 or more will receive permanent recognition on the base of the sculpture.

“This summer, the eyes of the world will be on North Texas, and it’s a profound honor to welcome the global community to Arlington,” Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said in a statement. “While the tournament brings us together for a moment, the Texan Golden Boot ensures that its spirit remains a permanent part of our landscape.”

“Public art does more than beautify a space; it reflects who we are,” Ross added. “And by supporting the Buy a Brick campaign and the North Texas Sports Foundation, you aren’t just commemorating the World Cup. You are investing in the very things that make our region a great place to live—vibrant open spaces, a thriving arts scene, and safe, accessible sports opportunities for our youth.”

What the North Texas Sports Foundation supports

The North Texas Sports Foundation said it will oversee all funds raised through the Texan Golden Boot and Buy a Brick Campaign and invest them in “initiatives focused on long-term community impact, sustainability, and ethical development.”

Per the organization, North Texas Sports Foundation World Cup Legacy investments will support: 

• Youth access to sport, including mini-pitches and inflatable soccer fields in under resourced communities, delivered with safety and inclusion at the core
• Healthy public spaces, through park cleanups, tree planting, and outdoor activation
• Community art and placemaking, including murals and public art that reflect neighborhood identity and pride
• Education rooted in values, embedding human rights education and ethical sportsmanship into sport-based programming
• Ticket access for community benefit, including the distribution of World Cup–related tickets and experiences to local nonprofit organizations, ensuring youth and families can directly experience the event they helped make possible

“This legacy is about more than recognition—it’s about stewardship,” said Jaime Cabrera, director of donorrRelations of the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee. “The Texan Golden Boot is the symbol people will see, but the real impact is what it unlocks: youth access to sport, healthier public spaces, community art, and education grounded in values. Together, these efforts create a funding engine that supports North Texas well beyond 2026.”

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