The 2026 World Cup final apparently has a home, with Texas surprising everyone.

AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas reportedly hosts the massive match. Currently, the stadium’s primary user is the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. Yet, ‘Jerryworld’ has been in the mix to host the World Cup Final for some time.

Previously, stadiums in New York and Los Angeles emerged as the favorites to host the final. MetLife Stadium is the home of the pair of New York City NFL teams. Weather concerns, coming from heat and rain, are potential reasons for steering clear of New York City’s outdoor venue.

Over in the west, Los Angeles has no concerns about the weather. SoFi Stadium, like MetLife Stadium in New York, is hosting World Cup games as it is. Yet, the $5 billion stadium, which opened in 2020, is under the cover of a roof. Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke also owns the stadium, providing another point of interest. Nevertheless, field size concerns hindered chances to host the final match, even if it can host group stage or other knockout stage games.

The 2026 World Cup Final in Texas

Therefore, the solution after those two is geographically between them.

AT&T Stadium has a retractable roof, which would obviously help control any potential weather issues. Opening in 2009, the $1.3 billion state-of-the-art stadium has a current fan capacity of about 80,000. However, reconfiguration allows for an additional 25,000 seats to be added if needed. The stadium also famously has one of the largest high definition video screens on the planet.

The United States hosts the 2026 World Cup in partnership with Canada, and Mexico. Along with Arlington, Los Angeles, and New York, the U.S. will also host tournament matches in Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Houston, San Francisco, and Seattle.

Centrally located, Arlington could also be a plus with transportation. Teams and fans would not necessarily have to travel to the opposite coast of the country for the final. If fully reconfigured, AT&T Stadium would potentially be the biggest stadium at the 2026 World Cup.

PHOTO: IMAGO / AFLOSPORT