Arlington’s AT&T Stadium will be undergoing renovations leading up to the 2026 World Cup, according to the Sports Business Journal and local media outlets.
The 13-year-old stadium is expected to receive upgrades estimated at $295 million over the next two years. The injection of funds will help the venue better compete with newer stadiums, keep up with the latest technology, and remain in conversations to host major events like the World Cup, the Super Bowl, and others that may arise.
The renovations will reportedly not change the look of the stadium significantly but are rather “designed to refresh premium spaces ahead of some key lease renewals and upgrade technology and other back-of-the-house services,” according to the Sports Business Journal.
AT&T Stadium opened in 2009 and quickly drew rave reviews for its allure and atmosphere. Â It has since become a premier location for major events in the DFW area like concerts and national or international sporting events. It is currently the third-largest NFL Stadium in terms of seating capacity behind MetLife Stadium (Giants/Jets) and Green Bay’s Lambeau Field.
Aside from serving as the home field for the Dallas Cowboys, the venue has hosted the Super Bowl in 2011, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four in 2014, the NBA All-Star Game in 2010, various regular season college football games, the Texas UIL High School Football State Championships, WrestleMania, MMA fights, and college football bowl games including the College Football Playoff and the annual Cotton Bowl.
It was also named as a backup site for last season’s Super Bowl amid spiking COVID-19 cases in California.
AT&T Stadium is expected to be one of 16 host sites for the World Cup in 2026 and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four in 2030.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will present the NFL with additional details at its league meetings next week in Irving, but the team is expected to ask the other NFL teams to help pay for the renovations by requesting “approval to withhold their normal contributions to shared gate revenue” and applying for an additional debt waiver. The former is a generally accepted and common way for teams to pay for stadium upgrades.
The Cowboys have one home game remaining during the regular season and are likely to start the playoffs on the road as a Wild Card team in the NFC.
AT&T Stadium will also host the High School Football State Championship Games from December 14 through December 17, the Cotton Bowl on January 2, 2023, and several premier concerts in early 2023.
