ARLINGTON, Texas — There seems to be a two-horse race to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
It has been expected to be between AT&T Stadium in Arlington vs. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. There is no indication yet when an official announcement from FIFA is going to be made, but there has twice been leaked reports since the announcement of all 16 venues that Dallas is the winner.
Local officials have played down those reports each time, stating they too are waiting eagerly to see what FIFA decides. FIFA has made multiple site visits to Jerry World, as well as MetLife. Ahead of Dallas' Week 18 matchup against the Washington Commanders, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones was asked by 105.3 The Fan about the hopes of securing the coveted 2026 FIFA World Cup Final.
“We’re on that by the minute, if there’s such a thing,” Jones said. “Certainly by the hour, by the day, by the week or by the month. We’re working as hard as we can to give our best presentation of why it ought to be here.”
Listen to his radio appearance here (the World Cup answer happens around the 18:00 mark):
"This is, as far as the world is concerned, this area that we’re in Dallas, Texas, this is our country, in my mind. This is the vibrant part of the country, this is where young people in this country and progressive people are aspiring to build their lives and careers. So if you want a good shot of what it’s like to have a North American flavor to a sporting event, we’ve got the ideal place in the country right here in Dallas, Texas,” Jones said.
Jones' comments comes a day after the Associated Press reported MetLife Stadium officials plan to remove 1,740 seats to widen the field for World Cup matches. FIFA requires a 75-by-115 yard (68-by-105 meter) field for World Cup games, although that requirement was ignored by some venues during the 1994 tournament. Both MetLife and AT&T will have to replace artificial turf with grass.
WFAA previously reported that AT&T Stadium officials plan to raise the playing surface 15 feet in order to meet FIFA's dimension requirements. In August, the Dallas Business Journal reported AT&T Stadium was expected to get part of its $295 million worth of anticipated renovations underway this month.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest one in its history, expanding 48 nations and 104 games. The World Cup Fill will take place on July 19, 2026. The burning question everyone is waiting to get answered, though, is where?
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