When the United States, Canada, and Mexico kick off the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 11, Arlington’s AT&T Stadium — operating under the temporary name Dallas Stadium for the duration of the tournament — will host nine matches, the most of any U.S. venue (tied with Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood). Five group-stage pairings are locked in, four knockout slots have confirmed dates and bracket paths, and the slate ends with a semifinal on July 14.

For Mansfield-area fans, that’s a 30-minute drive (without traffic) to watch some of the biggest names in world soccer — Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, Virgil van Dijk, Luka Modric, Alexander Isak — in a stadium being temporarily reconfigured to a 94,000-seat capacity. Here’s the match-by-match guide.

This article is part of The Mansfield Observer’s World Cup 2026 hub. If you’re starting from scratch, see our complete Mansfield & DFW World Cup guide and our companion AT&T Stadium parking guide for Mansfield drivers.

Quick reference: all 9 matches at a glance

#	Date	CT Kickoff	Match	Round
11	Sun, Jun 14	3:00 PM	Netherlands vs. Japan	Group F
22	Wed, Jun 17	3:00 PM	England vs. Croatia	Group L
43	Mon, Jun 22	12:00 PM	Argentina vs. Austria	Group J
57	Thu, Jun 25	6:00 PM	Japan vs. Sweden	Group F
70	Sat, Jun 27	9:00 PM	Jordan vs. Argentina	Group J
78	Tue, Jun 30	12:00 PM	Group E runner-up vs. Group I runner-up	Round of 32
88	Fri, Jul 3	1:00 PM	Group D runner-up vs. Group G runner-up	Round of 32
93	Mon, Jul 6	2:00 PM	Winner Match 83 vs. Winner Match 84	Round of 16
101	Tue, Jul 14	2:00 PM	Winner Match 97 vs. Winner Match 98	Semifinal

All kickoff times confirmed by FIFA World Cup 26 Dallas and the Dallas Cowboys host announcement. Note: Argentina’s group game against Austria is a noon kickoff in Texas summer heat — plan accordingly.

Wait — “Dallas Stadium”? What happened to AT&T Stadium?

For the duration of the tournament, AT&T Stadium will be referred to as Dallas Stadium in all FIFA broadcasts, signage, ticketing, and printed materials. The AT&T logos on the building exterior will be covered before the Netherlands-Japan opener on June 14, per FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth.

The reason is straightforward: FIFA’s sponsorship rules prohibit corporate naming rights at World Cup host venues. FIFA wants its global commercial partners — adidas, Coca-Cola, Visa, Hyundai, etc. — to be the only brands visible on broadcasts. AT&T is not a FIFA sponsor, so the name has to come down. The same thing is happening to NRG Stadium in Houston, which will play as “Houston Stadium,” and to other corporately named venues across the tournament, per WFAA.

The choice of “Dallas Stadium” over, say, “Arlington Stadium” is a sore point for the host city. Arlington Mayor Jim Ross has publicly said the city deserves geographic credit; FIFA designated the broader market as a “Dallas” host city, and the venue name follows that designation. The stadium itself is still very much in Arlington — between Globe Life Field (Rangers) and Choctaw Stadium — and the city has been clear in its own coverage that the matches are happening here.

The stadium has also undergone tournament-specific physical changes: a widened pitch, a switch from artificial turf to natural grass (required by FIFA), and a continuation of the $295 million suite-renovation project that was already underway. Capacity for World Cup matches has been set at 94,000.

The five group-stage matches

Match 11 — Netherlands vs. Japan

Sunday, June 14, 3:00 PM CT • Group F • FOX / Telemundo

The Arlington opener is a classic styles-clash. The Netherlands arrive as one of the most physically gifted squads in the tournament, anchored by 34-year-old captain Virgil van Dijk at the back, Ryan Gravenberch in midfield, and Premier League attackers Tijjani Reijnders and Cody Gakpo. The Dutch announced their final 26-man squad on May 25.

Japan beat both Scotland and (more dramatically) England at Wembley in late-2025 friendlies, becoming the first Asian nation ever to defeat the Three Lions. They’re not in Texas to make up numbers. Their final squad was named May 15.

For Mansfield fans, this is the easiest match to attend logistically: a Sunday afternoon, an early-tournament window with first-time-visitor traffic not yet at peak chaos, and two teams that travel well. Expect a heavy contingent of Dutch fans in orange and a Japanese supporter section that consistently ranks as one of the loudest in the world.

Match 22 — England vs. Croatia

Wednesday, June 17, 3:00 PM CT • Group L • FOX / Telemundo

This is the marquee group-stage draw in Arlington and the most sought-after ticket of the five. England vs. Croatia is a direct rematch of the 2018 World Cup semifinal, which Croatia won 2-1 in extra time on the way to the final. Both managers, both core spines, and the lingering rivalry all carry over.

England’s attacking depth is on another level: Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and Cole Palmer in some combination give England the most expensive forward line at the tournament. Their final 26 will be announced May 22, per the RotoWire Group L preview.

Croatia are the senior team in this tournament. Luka Modric, now 40 and still pulling strings, captains a midfield three with Mateo Kovacic and Luka Sucic. Josko Gvardiol anchors the back; Andrej Kramaric — top scorer in European qualifying with six goals — leads the line. Croatia announces its final squad May 18.

This is also Wednesday afternoon — note that. Plan PTO accordingly.

Match 43 — Argentina vs. Austria

Monday, June 22, 12:00 PM CT • Group J • FOX / Telemundo

Lionel Messi comes to Arlington. The 38-year-old Inter Miami captain was named to Argentina’s preliminary 55-man squad in May, and while head coach Lionel Scaloni hasn’t fully confirmed Messi will start every match, this would be his record sixth World Cup.

Argentina are defending champions. Their attacking depth — Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez, Alejandro Garnacho, Thiago Almada, plus emerging talents like Franco Mastantuono and Claudio Echeverri — is arguably the deepest in the tournament.

Austria are the upset hopefuls. This is their first World Cup appearance of the 21st century (they last qualified in 1998). They arrive playing some of the most coherent pressing football in Europe and won’t be intimidated.

A noon kickoff in late June in Texas is its own opponent. Stadium temperature management — the roof, climate controls, the broader heat plan — will be a story all by itself. For ticket-holders, dress for both 75-degree air-conditioned interior and 100-degree exterior. Hydrate before you arrive; the stadium will allow factory-sealed 20-ounce water bottles per FIFA’s clear-bag rules.

Match 57 — Japan vs. Sweden

Thursday, June 25, 6:00 PM CT • Group F • FOX / Telemundo

Japan’s second AT&T appearance pits them against a Sweden squad that under manager Graham Potter has, per NBC 5, staged “a great escape” through qualification on the back of a Premier League-loaded front line: Alexander Isak (Liverpool) and Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal), with Anthony Elanga and Lucas Bergvall providing depth and pace. Captain Victor Lindelof marshals the defense. Sweden named its final squad on May 12 — the day this article was first drafted.

A 6 PM CT Thursday kickoff is the most TV-friendly slot of the AT&T schedule (prime time on the East Coast). Expect the highest at-home U.S. viewership of any of the five Arlington group matches.

The Group F implication: this could be the match that decides who wins the group. If Netherlands beat both teams in earlier matches, this becomes a play-in for second place — which now matters more than ever given the 48-team format’s Round of 32, where group winners and runners-up alike continue to the knockouts (more on that below).

Match 70 — Jordan vs. Argentina

Saturday, June 27, 9:00 PM CT • Group J • FOX / Telemundo

The Group J finale. Jordan are World Cup debutants — their first-ever appearance at the senior men’s tournament. They arrive as the third-ranked AFC qualifier, riding the goalscoring of Musa Al-Taamari and the experienced spine of midfielder Noor Al-Rawabdeh.

Argentina close their group stage in Arlington in a Saturday-night prime-time slot. By this point, the group permutations will be set, and the likely scenario is Argentina playing for either top seed in their R32 quadrant or — if results have already gone their way — a chance to rest key starters. Either way: a 9 PM kickoff on a Saturday with Messi on the field is, for a hyperlocal news perspective, the single highest-attended match of the AT&T slate. Expect every Mansfield-area Spanish-speaking household and every Argentine-American family in DFW to be at the stadium or at a watch party.

The four knockout matches

The 2026 World Cup uses a new 48-team format with 104 total matches. The group stage produces 32 advancing teams — the top two from each of the 12 groups plus the eight best third-placed teams — which enter a Round of 32. Then it’s R16, quarterfinals, semis, final. Arlington gets four of these knockout matches.

Match 78 — Round of 32 #1

Tuesday, June 30, 12:00 PM CT • Round of 32

Group E runner-up vs. Group I runner-up. Per the FIFA knockout-stage bracket, this matchup is fixed by bracket path; the specific teams won’t be known until the group stage ends June 26.

Group E and Group I both contain top-tier seeds (the bracket structure pairs second-place finishers from “softer-on-paper” groups against each other to set up potential giant-killing matchups). Worth watching: whoever finishes second in Group I has the path through Arlington and could be a darkhorse runner.

Match 88 — Round of 32 #2

Friday, July 3, 1:00 PM CT • Round of 32

Group D runner-up vs. Group G runner-up. A second R32 match in Arlington less than 96 hours after the first. This is the Friday before the Fourth of July — a holiday-weekend Texas matinee with a global TV audience.

For Mansfield residents, the practical implication is that the I-30 / I-20 corridor will see World Cup traffic stacked on top of Fourth-of-July weekend traffic. Plan accordingly.

Match 93 — Round of 16

Monday, July 6, 2:00 PM CT • Round of 16

This is where the bracket starts to get interesting. Match 93 features the winner of Match 83 vs. the winner of Match 84:

• Match 83 (July 2, BMO Field, Toronto): Group K runner-up vs. Group L runner-up. That Group L runner-up could very well be Croatia or England — depending on how their June 17 Arlington match goes.
• Match 84 (July 2, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles): Group H winner vs. Group J runner-up. Group J runner-up could be Argentina if they finish second behind Algeria — possible but unlikely; or Austria if they pull off the upset.

In other words, a Round of 16 match in Arlington could plausibly feature England, Croatia, or even Argentina on July 6, depending on group results. This is one to mark on the calendar early.

Match 101 — Semifinal

Tuesday, July 14, 2:00 PM CT • Semifinal

Winner Match 97 vs. Winner Match 98. This is the first World Cup semifinal in DFW history.

Per the bracket structure, this semifinal sits on the side of the draw that’s been described as “Spain’s half” of the bracket, per FWC Live’s semifinal breakdown and post-draw analysis from multiple outlets. The other semifinal — Match 102 — is scheduled for MetLife Stadium near New York on July 15.

For comparison: the final is at MetLife Stadium on July 19. So whatever team wins in Arlington on July 14 plays for the World Cup five days later.

If you can get a ticket to one match this entire tournament, this is the one. Resale prices reflect that — see the ticket section below.

Ticket landscape — what’s actually for sale

Bottom line for Mansfield fans (as of May 12, 2026): The FIFA official portal at FIFA.com/tickets is currently in its Last-Minute Sales Phase, launched April 1 on a first-come-first-served basis. Inventory drops continue, with FIFA releasing additional tickets periodically as the tournament approaches, per Axios.

The official FIFA Resale Marketplace reopened April 2 and stays live until one hour before kickoff. That’s the safest secondary option — the seller is verified by FIFA, the ticket is delivered directly to the buyer’s FIFA Ticketing App, and there’s no transfer-day risk.

Third-party resale on Vivid Seats, StubHub, SeatGeek, and Gametime is also active. Pricing varies wildly:

• Group stage (Netherlands-Japan, Japan-Sweden): Vivid Seats has listings starting around $160–$300 per ticket as of early May, per a recent ticket roundup. Gametime advertises listings from $151.
• Argentina matches (June 22, June 27): Significantly higher. Messi pricing premium is real. Expect $500–$2,000+ for non-premium seating.
• England-Croatia (June 17): Premium pricing comparable to Argentina matches, given the rematch storyline.
• Round of 32 / R16: Variable; the unknown-team factor depresses early demand. Likely your best knockout-stage value.
• Semifinal (July 14): Premium pricing across the board. CNN reported in late April that World Cup final tickets were reselling for over $2 million each in some listings; the AT&T semifinal is meaningfully cheaper but expect four-figure-and-up tickets even in upper-deck sections.

FIFA’s pricing model is dynamic — the same seat can change price multiple times in a day, driven by demand. If you’re price-sensitive, monitoring the FIFA portal in the days right before a match (when sellers panic) is often more productive than buying months out.

A note for hospitality buyers: On Location is FIFA’s official hospitality partner. Hospitality packages are listed separately at fifaworldcup26.hospitality.fifa.com and are not interchangeable with general-admission tickets.

What to expect on match day

If you’ve been to a Cowboys game, AT&T Stadium will feel familiar — and meaningfully different.

Arrive earlier than you think. FIFA security perimeters are larger than NFL perimeters. The stadium opens roughly 3 hours before kickoff. Plan to be parked and walking by then.

Parking is pre-pay only. All parking is managed via JustPark, FIFA’s official 2026 parking partner. No on-site cash payments will be accepted. Per DIBS Parking’s confirmed price guide, confirmed pricing is $75 for group stage and R32, $100 for R16, $125–$145 for quarterfinals (not applicable at AT&T), and $175 for the semifinal. NBC DFW has previously reported that some neighborhood-lot operators near venues will charge significantly more — up to $250 — but those are unofficial. For the Mansfield-specific routes to AT&T Stadium, see our parking guide.

Clear-bag policy applies. FIFA’s stadium-wide policy allows clear plastic/vinyl/PVC bags no larger than 12” x 12” x 6”, or a one-gallon clear freezer bag. Small non-clear clutches up to 4.5” x 6.5” are also allowed. Anything else goes to off-site storage or, more often, the trunk of your car. One factory-sealed 20-ounce water bottle is permitted; metal bottles are not.

Tailgating is restricted. Per FOX 4, Arlington police have confirmed that traditional Cowboys-style tailgating won’t be permitted in many lots, and the city has communicated clear rules to lot operators. Drinking is allowed in some lots; cooking and grilling typically is not. Confirm with your specific JustPark lot.

Cell service will be saturated. Plan to use the stadium WiFi for tickets and digital wallets. Download the FIFA Ticketing App in advance — your ticket lives there, not in your generic Apple/Google Wallet.

For Mansfield drivers, the cleanest route to AT&T Stadium avoiding I-20 is Matlock Road north to Sublett, west to Cooper Street, north to Division. It adds 5–8 minutes but bypasses the I-20/I-30 interchange that becomes a parking lot on match days. Plan 75–90 minutes total door-to-seat.

The Fan Festival alternative — free, in Dallas

If you can’t get tickets (or don’t want to pay $400 for parking), Dallas is hosting one of the FIFA Fan Festivals at Fair Park from June 11 through July 19, per the official Dallas FWC26 site. It’s free, capacity is 35,000, and there are 7,000 covered seats. Every match in the tournament — including all nine AT&T matches — is shown on giant screens.

Fair Park is about 35 minutes from Mansfield via Highway 287 to I-45. For Mansfield families who want the World Cup experience without the AT&T price tag, this is the answer. The festival runs 34 of the tournament’s 39 days.

FAQ

Q: Is “Dallas Stadium” a different stadium than AT&T Stadium? No. It is the same building — 1 AT&T Way, Arlington, Texas. Only the name on FIFA materials changes for the duration of the tournament. The Cowboys still play there in the fall.

Q: How many of the 9 matches have confirmed teams? Five — the group stage matches. The four knockout matches have confirmed dates, times, and bracket paths, but specific teams are determined by group-stage results that conclude June 26.

Q: When is the most expensive AT&T match? The July 14 semifinal, followed by Argentina vs. Jordan (June 27, prime-time Saturday with Messi) and England vs. Croatia (June 17, 2018 SF rematch).

Q: What time zones are kickoff times listed in? All times in this article are U.S. Central Time — the local time at AT&T Stadium. For ET, add one hour. FIFA’s official site lists in local stadium time by default.

Q: Will Lionel Messi definitely play in Arlington? He’s in Argentina’s preliminary 55-man squad and would play both June 22 (vs. Austria) and June 27 (vs. Jordan) if selected. As of mid-May 2026, his place on the final 26-man roster has not been formally confirmed, but every indication is he will be selected, per ESPN.

Q: Can I watch any of these matches for free on TV? Yes. FOX (over-the-air channel 4 in DFW) carries 70 of 104 matches, including most of the AT&T slate. FS1 carries the remainder. Telemundo (KXTX, channel 39) carries all 104 in Spanish, with some matches on Universo. Every match also streams on Peacock and the Telemundo app. The two R32 matches and the semifinal are confirmed to be on FOX. See our companion piece on watching the World Cup for free.

Q: Where is the FIFA Fan Festival in Dallas? At Fair Park in South Dallas. Free admission, 35,000 capacity, runs June 11 to July 19. It’s the most affordable way to watch any World Cup match in the DFW area with a crowd.

Q: How early should I arrive at AT&T Stadium on match day? At least 2.5 to 3 hours before kickoff. Stadium gates open roughly 3 hours pre-match. FIFA security perimeters, walking from parking to gates, and the new credential/ticket scan process all take longer than equivalent Cowboys-game arrivals.

Q: Can I tailgate? Largely no — Arlington police and FIFA have restricted traditional tailgating in stadium lots. Drinking is permitted in some lots, but cooking/grilling generally is not. Confirm with your specific JustPark lot operator.

Q: When was the last World Cup match in North Texas? 1994 — the last men’s World Cup hosted in the U.S. The Cotton Bowl in Dallas hosted six 1994 matches. The 2026 tournament is the first time AT&T Stadium hosts World Cup soccer, and it’s the first time DFW hosts a men’s World Cup semifinal.

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This article is part of The Mansfield Observer’s World Cup 2026 in Mansfield & DFW hub. Related: AT&T Stadium parking guide for Mansfield drivers; where to watch World Cup matches in Mansfield; how to watch every match free; Czech Republic’s Mansfield base camp explained.

Last updated: May 12, 2026. We will refresh this preview after each Arlington match with results and the next match’s preview moved to the top.