As the World Cup rolls through North Texas, international players and their fans aren’t just chasing goals – they’re chasing cowboy boots, barbecue, and rodeo tickets.
From Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland’s viral shopping spree to English fans packing the Fort Worth Stockyards, the Lone Star State is proving it can be the standout host of the world’s game.
Haaland Goes Full Cowboy
Norway striker Erling Haaland scored the game-winning goal against Ivory Coast at Dallas Stadium, and within hours he’d traded his jersey for a Stetson. In his own YouTube video titled “Norway’s Texas Takeover,” Haaland and several teammates stopped by Wild Bill’s Western Store in Downtown Dallas, where owners Cody and Julie Newport were waiting for the star-studded visit.
Haaland knew nothing about Western wear going in – he simply sat down and let staff fit him for a hat. He ended up buying multiple hats, a pair of boots, and a belt buckle branded with a longhorn and his own initials, swapping his shirt on the spot for another reading “Y’all can kiss my Dallas.”
“Dallas is amazing, unbelievable. It’s so nice. I’m coming back here, I’ll tell you what. The people are just so nice here, so positive. I don’t know what it is. They’re just like enjoying life. It’s amazing, so friendly,” Haaland says in the video.
Wild Bill’s said the shirt nearly sold out within days – with the store now seeing a rare wave of new local shoppers alongside its usual tourist crowd.
The Manchester City star wasn’t just shopping – he later posted online about hitting Six Flags Over Texas as well, squeezing in some time for roller coasters between matches. On the field, his form has been just as electric: Haaland scored four goals in Norway’s first two group games and added another in the Ivory Coast win, powering Norway’s first World Cup appearance in 28 years into the knockout rounds.
England Fans Sing “Sweet Caroline,” Czechia Trades Cleats for Cowboy Hats
The Fort Worth Stockyards have become a required stop for World Cup visitors, and two very different squads’ fan bases proved it. Ahead of England’s clash with Croatia, Three Lions supporters flooded Cowtown Coliseum for a night of barrel racing and calf roping, and it wasn’t long before a well-sauced rendition of “Sweet Caroline” broke out between events – per Outkick – turning a Texas rodeo into an impromptu English pub singalong.
Another X post from user @Gracie_Blue89 shows England fans chanting at another rodeo in early July.
Days earlier, the Czechia national team made its own pilgrimage to the district. After an opening loss to South Korea, the squad accepted an invitation from the city to explore the historic Stockyards, trading shin guards for cowboy hats as they walked the grounds and shopped for Western gear. Players caught a live rodeo inside Cowtown Coliseum before wrapping up the visit with a meal at Joe T. Garcia’s – proof that a rough result on the pitch wasn’t enough to keep the Czechs from appreciating a genuine Texas welcome.
Dutch Fans Ship In a Double-Decker Bus, Japan Leaves the Stadium Spotless
No fanbase has thrown itself into North Texas quite like the Dutch. Ahead of Netherlands-Japan, supporters shipped a traditional double-decker bus from the Netherlands to Galveston and drove it up I-45 to Dallas, according to Fox 4, drawing crowds at every gas stop along the way – including a mandatory pit stop at Buc-ee’s. The night before kickoff, Dutch fans packed a block party at Henk’s European Deli and Black Forest Bakery, then marched to Dallas Stadium the next day in a sea of orange, singing and dancing the whole way.
Inside, they weren’t shy about the comparison to home: one fan called the stadium “truly American,” adding, “We don’t have these kinds of stadiums in Europe.”
Japan’s fans left their own mark that day, just as quietly as the Dutch were loud. After the match ended in a 2-2 draw, Samurai Blue supporters stayed behind with trash bags reading “Japan Pride” to clean their entire section, a tradition rooted in the Japanese motto for “leave it the way you found it.”
The Verdict: Texas Wins the World Cup
Between Haaland’s cowboy transformation, England’s rodeo singalongs, Czechia’s Stockyards detour, and the Dutch-Japanese showdown that brought out both a shipped-in party bus and a spotless stadium, one thing is clear: DFW isn’t just hosting the World Cup; it’s converting the world’s fans into “cowboys” one boot, hat, and rodeo ticket at a time.
The Dallas Express will be on-site for both of Dallas Stadium’s remaining 2026 World Cup matches – the Round of 16 on July 6 and the semifinal on July 14 – with live updates throughout.
