City leaders told us if we let them build it, they would come. They could hear the hoofbeats.
They told no lies.
The moment Dickies Arena emerged from that clearing on Montgomery Street, the acts started showing up, including high-profile international events choosing Dickies Arena through highly competitive bidding processes. And they haven’t stopped coming.
The most recent to secure a spot on the itinerary: Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final and FEI Dressage World Cup Final in April of 2026.
City and Dickies officials say the prestigious international equestrian event is expected to bring more than 60,000 spectators over the five days of competition with an estimated economic impact of more than $21 million dollars.
“This is a major win for the city of Fort Worth and further bolsters our position as one of the best destinations in the world to host equestrian events,” says Michael Crum, director of public events for the city of Fort Worth.
The event was secured as part of a collaborative effort between the city of Fort Worth, Dickies Arena, the Fort Worth Sports Commission, Split Rock Jumping Tour, and Visit Fort Worth.
Previous U.S. Host cities include Omaha and Las Vegas. Most recently, the competition was hosted by Leipzig, Germany, in April. The FEI — Fédération Équestre Internationale — is based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
“This is yet another opportunity for Dickies Arena and Fort Worth to highlight that we are a player on the international event scene,” says Matt Homan, general manager and president of Trail Drive Management Corporation, the not-for-profit entity managing Dickies Arena. “We promised the city of Fort Worth we would bring in an array of top-notch events and we are making good on that promise with this incredible event.”
The competition will be broadcast to more than 130 countries with more than 800 million impressions expected across all media platforms. More than 20 million people tuned in to watch the 2019 Final in Gothenburg, Sweden. The FEI World Cup Finals typically attracts anywhere from 250 to 450 members of the international media.
“We are extremely grateful to the FEI selection committee that chose Fort Worth and we are very excited about the opportunity to welcome their riders, sponsors and fans to our great city,” says Jason Sands, executive director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission, a division of Visit Fort Worth.
