The announcement that AT&T Stadium will host nine matches in the 2026 World Cup, but not the World Cup final, drew mixed reactions from soccer fans across the Metroplex.
But businesses involved in the DFW soccer scene are already anticipating a big boost from World Cup visitors.
Soccer can be a sport. On Sunday, some fans in DFW felt the ball wasn't bouncing their way.
“Disappointed, very disappointed,” Christopher Mangena said. “Given the infrastructure that Dallas has, I thought it would come here.”
During a live broadcast on Sunday afternoon, football's international governing body FIFA released the full schedule for the 2026 World Cup.
Arlington's AT&T Stadium has been chosen to host nine World Cup games, more than any other city in the tournament, and host the semifinal game.
But with the World Cup final being awarded to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, some fans in the DFW area felt conflicted.
“A lot. The Dallas area has a lot of rabid fans. I am sure they will all sell out,” said Mesha Malubi. “The only disappointment about the finale.”
The announcement came as a shock to fans who saw the schedule at the London Pub in Addison.
That's because British newspaper The Sun reported last month that the final would be held at AT&T Stadium.
“We are disappointed that the final will not be here. Definitely; I think there would have been a lot of talk that it would be,” said Siobhan Hartley, assistant manager of The Londoner. “But we're going to have a lot of games here for Dallas, and that's really exciting.”
While some fans were disappointed, businesses in the DFW soccer scene told NBC5 they're looking forward to the nine World Cup crowds.
Londoner Pub Historically, they have seen more business on days when high-profile football matches have come to AT&T Stadium.
They're already starting to think about how to handle the hundreds of thousands of fans expected to descend on DFW to take part in the sport's biggest stage.
“Drink a lot of beer. Think about easy foods to eat,” Hartley said. “And plan accordingly, make sure we advertise on Facebook and social media platforms so people know what time to come here.”
