Gold Cup in Arlington draws thousands, previewing 2026 FIFA World Cup excitement.
The international tournament brought the Mexican National Team to town on Wednesday, with the US Men's National Team taking the field on SundayThousands of fans packed AT&T Stadium for CONCACAF Gold Cup matches, giving Arlington a glimpse of what’s to come during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
NBC 5’s Keenan Willard reports on the excitement, economic expectations, and concerns ahead of the global tournament. It’s been a big day for soccer in Arlington, as the CONCACAF Gold Cup brought two international matches to AT&T Stadium. Some Arlington leaders are calling the tournament action a preview of the impact the 2026 FIFA World Cup will bring to North Texas.
The Gold Cup, held every two years, is the championship for international soccer across North and Central America and the Caribbean. But the biggest crowds at AT&T Stadium on Wednesday were clearly there for El Tri.
“It’s our heritage, it’s our duty to be here for such an awesome game today,” said Mexico fan Elizabeth Alvarado. “And it’s a CONCACAF game, so that just makes it even better. ”“We love America, but our roots are from Mexico, so we got to love both,” said Jesse Ramos.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup bringing a tournament-high nine matches to AT&T next year, Arlington tourism leaders told NBC 5 this tournament was a warm-up for the impact international soccer will have on the Metroplex.
“And so the direct spending, between 5 and $10 million, is what we could anticipate from these matches coming up this weekend,” said Brent DeRaad, president and CEO of the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau. Arlington leaders said they were expecting 30,000 to 40,000 fans at the matches Wednesday night and on Sunday—a significantly smaller crowd than past Mexico matches at AT&T Stadium.
Tourism officials said they were watching closely to see if concerns about U.S. immigration laws would impact turnout for this tournament—and for the World Cup.
“We’re certainly concerned about it, we’ll manage what we can and we’ll market Arlington to the best of our ability and welcome those who choose to come,” said DeRaad. Still, for thousands of passionate North Texas soccer fans, staying home with Mexico in town was never an option.
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