FEI World Cup
Fort Worth’s stature on the worldwide sports stage is taller than ever in 2026 as Tarrant County prepares to host a stacked schedule of prestigious international and national competitions. Global championships like the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament and FEI World Cup Finals Jumping & Dressage will bring in hundreds of thousands of visitors to North Texas. But the World Cups are just the beginning. From racecar drivers and rodeo riders to college basketball stars and karate blackbelts — the best of the best will converge in the 817 this year.
“This is our moment,” says Drew Hays, the new executive director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission. “This is our biggest event lineup ever, and anything we can do to elevate the experience for the athletes and the fans attending, we’re going to do it.”
The year may have just arrived, but the city has been preparing for months. Being proactive is key to Hays’ strategy: working out all the little details long before showtime arrives, from arranging hotel welcomes to lining up restaurants for team dinners. “There are tons of meetings with our venues, our hotels, our other external partners, and there’s a ton of meetings internally that go on too.”
Newly formed city committees have been tackling infrastructure and transportation issues, and marketing initiatives are connecting with domestic and international media outlets to spread the word about Fort Worth. “If we’re doing the things proactively, by the time we get to event week, that should be the easiest part of the execution,” Hays says. “Knock on wood.”
The Fort Worth Sports Commission projects that this year’s biddable events will garner over $88 million in direct spending — and that doesn’t include any annual legacy events like the National Cutting Horse Association’s Triple Crown. A sizable chunk will no doubt be generated from the biggest event ever to take place in North Texas, the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Fresh venues, upgraded infrastructure, cinematic visibility, and a surging creative scene have propelled Fort Worth into the spotlight for event planners and promoters. But it’s the city’s Western heritage and genuine hospitality that set it apart. “We offer that authentic Texas experience that international visitors want,” says Hays. Travelers will discover the Texas of their imagination in our hometown, with cowboys and cowgirls, cattle drives, rodeos, big hats, and barbecue. They’ll also encounter the city’s most valuable asset: us.
“What makes Fort Worth so great is our people,” he says. “We can’t do any of these events without a welcoming community.” Having just moved to the city last year, Hays speaks from experience. “When I first showed up to Fort Worth, I felt that warmth and hospitality. So I know when travelers come here, they’ll feel it as well.”
Visiting sports fans may forget the final score, they may forget the stats — but they will never forget the way we made them feel. Or our barbecue. And we’d better crank up those smokers, because three World Cups are headed our way.
THE WORLD CUPS ARE COMING
The biggest event on the planet descends on DFW
Held every four years, the FIFA World Cup tournament crowns the ultimate champion in men’s soccer (aka football, fútbol, or footy) and has an unparalleled cross-cultural impact. The World Cup is the most-watched event on Earth, with tens of billions of viewers tuning in for the series of 104 games.
And for the first time in history, FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) has selected three World Cup host countries: the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. It’s the largest footprint ever for the competition, which runs from June 11 to July 19 with 48 teams competing in 16 different cities: Dallas/Arlington, Atlanta, Boston, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver.
AT&T Stadium (to be temporarily renamed Dallas Stadium) will stage nine matches, including one semifinal on July 14, the game held in Arlington. MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey will host the final match on July 19. Dallas will also be home to the World Cup’s International Broadcast Center, turning Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center into a massive media hub for thousands of media professionals from over 150 countries.
Much more than a sports tournament, the World Cup is a global celebration that showcases the music, cultures, and traditions of participating countries. Part of the fun is cheering alongside the proud and passionate fans who have traveled from around the world to support their teams.
According to the North Texas Organizing Committee, more than 100,000 travelers will pour into the DFW metroplex for each match. But it’s unclear how the crowds will affect Fort Worth. “We all know it's going to be big, but how big?” asks Hays. “We don't know if this is going to be nine straight Super Bowls or if this is going to be just a normal day in Fort Worth.”
TCU will also serve as a basecamp for one of the four national teams based in North Texas.
In addition to the games in Arlington, you can expect a slew of watch parties, fan zones, and other special initiatives in Fort Worth. But most of the details are still up in the air, says Hays. “As we get closer to June and July, there are plans you'll hear about that we’ve been working on forever.” Whether you have kids who play soccer, you’re an ardent Arsenal fan, or you’re simply curious about the much-loved sport, there’s never been a better year to get swept up in the world’s game.
FEI WORLD CUP FINALS JUMPING & DRESSAGE
April 8-12 at Dickies Arena
The fine art of elite equestrianism
You’ve seen horses trot, gallop, and buck cowboys off their backs — but have you seen them dance? On April 8 through 12, Dickies Arena will host the vaunted FEI World Cup Finals Jumping & Dressage, the global championship and the highest level of horse-and-rider performances you’ll see anywhere.
FEI stands for Fédération Équestre Internationale, which is the governing body of equestrian sports, the counterpart of the PRCA in rodeo. And like the rodeo, FEI has multiple disciplines, including cross-country outdoor racing and equestrian vaulting (gymnastics on horseback). But the two preeminent FEI sports are show jumping and dressage.
Show jumping pits the horse and rider against an obstacle course of 5-foot-tall fences and tight angles; prizewinners must be fast and flawless. Knock down a single rail, and you could lose it all. In dressage, riders guide their horses through a sophisticated series of maneuvers, such as side-stepping, 360-degree turns, and rhythmic trotting in place. With plenty of prancing and gliding going on, dressage is known as the ballet of the equestrian world. Both sports exhibit the near-telepathic communication between the horse-rider duo and their formidable grace and athleticism.
Local spectators accustomed to rodeos will encounter a different breed of sport at the FEI World Cup. Dickies Arena won’t require a black-tie dress code like Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum does, but the vibe will feel noticeably more serious and proper — more like a golf tournament or opera than a rodeo.
“It will be a unique event,” says Matt Homan, president and general manager of Dickies Arena. Unlike rodeo competitions at Dickies, such as the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, FEI sports require synthetic turf flooring. “It won't be a dirt floor, and that's something that'll be new. And I don't know if people are ready for that.”
The opening of Dickies Arena in 2019 has driven significant economic growth in the city, with more than 1.1 million people now walking through its doors every year. “The way that the city has supported coming to events at Dickies Arena has catapulted us to getting some of these big-name events that we have coming up,” says Homan. The FEI World Cup is certainly a big name. Top riders from Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and North America will descend on Fort Worth to vie for the world crown, a career-defining achievement.
“It's such a big international event that we'll see a lot of people coming in from out of town and hopefully taking up lots of hotel rooms and restaurant reservations,” Homan says. More than 60,000 fans and journalists will arrive in the city for the show.
Keep an eye on the athletes; you’ll see many of them in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. “To get the pinnacle of the sport competing in our backyard at Dickies Arena is just an awesome win, not only for Dickies, but also for the city,” says Homan. “It's just another chance for us to put Fort Worth on that global stage.”
Texas Rattlers
PBR WORLD FINALS
MAY 10-17 at COWTOWN COLISEUM & DICKIES ARENA
Bull riding at its best
The bravest bull riders and the baddest beasts around return to Fort Worth this year for the PBR World Finals on May 10-17, with the first four days at Cowtown Coliseum and the last four at Dickies Arena. This showstopping spectacle of man vs. bull offers rock concert-style intensity with raucous music, pulsing lights, and an electrified audience that loves every minute of it. The two venues give PBR fans the best of both worlds: gritty, old-school rodeo energy at the Coliseum and high-tech, arena-scale drama at Dickies.
Olaf Growald
FIERCE FEMALES (WOMEN STEP INTOTHE SPOTLIGHT)
High-stakes college basketball & gymnastics — plus a cheerleader blitz
Dickies Arena continues its starring role with the NCAA Women’s Basketball Super Regionals, which brings the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 rounds to Fort Worth for the first time ever this March. It will be the final stop this season for the top two teams before they travel to Phoenix for the Final Four. “Anytime you get to host an NCAA Champion or NCAA event, it's something that's special to the community. It jars a lot of memories,” says Homan. “We're going to get a great mix of teams coming in, and hopefully we'll see a couple of Texas teams in there, maybe TCU.”
The NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship will also return to Dickies Arena in March, delivering gravity-defying flips and twists from the best gymnasts in America — who are also the best on the planet. Watch Olympic-caliber athletes perform in a fast-paced contest with four sports: balance beam, uneven bars, vault, and floor exercise. Every tenth of a point matters, keeping the tumblers on their toes and the spectators on the edge of their seats. If you catch yourself holding your breath, you’re not alone.
You can also see backflips in January when three cheerleading championships kick off Fort Worth’s banner year, including two national trophies. These ladies don’t just shake pom-poms and shout go-team-go; they are absolute athletes, acrobats, and stuntwomen (with a few men mixed in, too).
NCAA Women’s Basketball Super Regionals
- March 27-30 at Dickies Arena
NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship
- April 16-18 at Dickies Arena
National Cheerleading Association High School Championship
- Jan. 23-25 at Fort Worth Convention Center
American Cheerleaders Association Grand Nationals
- Jan. 31-Feb. 1 at Fort Worth Convention Center
UIL State Spirit Championship
- Jan. 15-17 at Fort Worth Convention Center
ON THE HOOF (RIDING FOR FORTUNE AND GLORY)
Rodeo riches and cutting horse heritage
Underdogs will go head-to-head with titleholders for $2 million at the American Rodeo Championship, one of the richest weekends in rodeo. It has been staged in Arlington since its creation in 2014, first at AT&T Stadium and now at Globe Life Field. The two-day competition is a major showcase for athletes who can’t chase the time-consuming, travel-heavy PRCA circuit all year, which means that you may see weekend warriors, unknowns, and teenagers out there with the pros.
With sudden-death rules and life-changing payouts, the stakes are immense: One ride can make or break you. Nobodies can become instant stars and millionaires with a single perfect run. Add in hefty bonus prizes and PBR-influenced production (think pyrotechnics and pounding music), the American Rodeo Championship is one of the most exciting events on dirt.
If you prefer your riding contests without a side of pyrotechnics, head to the National Cutting Horse Association’s Triple Crown. Held at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum for decades, this three-part series includes the NCHA World Championship Futurity in November and December, the NCHA Super Stakes in March and April, and the NCHA Summer Spectacular in July and August.
A Fort Worth tradition, these events pay out $10 million in total and demonstrate the intimate partnership between horse and rider. Each horse-rider duo tries to separate a calf from the herd, captivating the crowd in suspenseful silence. Winning the Triple Crown is exceedingly difficult; only four horses have ever achieved the prize. The event provides the top titles in cutting, alongside the American Performance Horseman competition, which was held at Dickies Arena last year. At the time of print, Homan says that the venue is “in discussions” about bringing it back.
American Rodeo Championship
- May 22-23 at Globe Life Field
NCHA Super Stakes
- March 18-April 11 at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum
NCHA Summer Spectacular
- July 11-Aug. 1 at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum
NCHA Championship Futurity
- Nov. 9-Dec. 5 at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum
Provided
Western Rodeo vs. English Equestrian
Here are five things to know about jumping and dressage (druh-SAAZH), before the high-stepping horses prance into town
#1. Where’s all the dirt?
English equestrianism grew out of aristocratic cavalry traditions rooted in military exactitude and classical technique — and that’s a long way from the working cattle ranch that birthed the rodeo. The horses compete on engineered flooring to achieve a consistent, precise performance that would be impossible on dirt.
#2. What the heck are the riders wearing?
The equestrian uniform is elegant and refined: tailored jackets, collared shirts with neckties, crisp white breeches, sleek helmets, gloves, and polished boots. Dressage is the most formal, and you may even see a top hat and tails.
#3. Why is it so dang quiet?
Unlike the rowdy crowd at the rodeo, FEI World Cup audiences should be quiet during a round of show jumping — and absolutely silent during dressage. In fact, try not to even move. Equestrian steeds need to concentrate; they’re not accustomed to chaos like rodeo horses are. Only clap after the round has finished.
#4. What kind of fancy horse is that?
Warmblood breeds, Irish Sport Horses, and Iberians dominate dressage and jumping. They’re generally taller and have longer necks and legs than the rodeo breeds like quarter horses and American paint horses, which have broader chests and more compact, muscular bodies.
#5. And the saddle?
The English saddles you’ll see at the FEI World Cup are much smaller and thinner than Western saddles, allowing for increased communication between a rider’s thighs and horse. The rider keeps both hands on the reins and sits upright in the saddle, which has no horn (the protruding front part on a Western saddle used to anchor a rope).
NASCAR VS. IndyCar
Both are pulse-pounding, high-octane auto racing sports — but how do they stack up against each other?
Fastest: Low-slung Indy racers can exceed 240 mph on oval tracks, while NASCAR cars top out around 205 mph.
Loudest: NASCAR’s rumbling roar is so loud and low-end that you can feel it, whereas Indy cars emit a higher-pitched scream. Both frequently exceed 130 decibels, comparable to jet engines.
Nimblest: IndyCars are like fighter jets on wheels, supremely aerodynamic with front and rear wings that generate tremendous levels of downforce for lightning-fast cornering.
Heaviest: NASCAR wins this one hands-down, with cars weighing a minimum of 3,200 pounds compared to IndyCar’s 1,500 to 1,800 pounds.
Strongest: Both are comparable in power. IndyCar’s twin-turbocharged 2.2-liter V6 engines produce 550 to 750 horsepower, and NASCAR’s 5.8-liter V8 engines produce 650 to 770 horsepower. But lightweight IndyCars have a much greater horsepower-to-weight ratio, which translates into explosive acceleration and razor-sharp handling.
Richest: NASCAR has more expensive cars, higher driver salaries, and many more races per season to draw in viewers and ad revenue.
Riskiest: IndyCar’s open-cockpit vehicles, open-wheel contact, and unpredictable street courses spike the risk of airborne crashes and driver injury. NASCAR’s enclosed cockpits and sturdier cars provide a bit more protection from the high-speed contact common in the sport.
FOR SPEED FREAKS
IndyCar Grand Prix of Arlington
- March 13-15 at Arlington Entertainment District
Open-cockpit race cars will scream through the streets around AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field during this fast-and-loud weekend, turning Arlington’s Entertainment District into a high-thrills racecourse. Part street circuit race and part motorsports festival, the city’s inaugural IndyCar Grand Prix lets you stand meters away from cars zooming past at 180 miles per hour, often just inches from one another. With sharp corners and bumpy surfaces, the 2.73-mile track leaves little room for error for the expert drivers behind the wheel.
FOR GAMERS:
BLAST Premier: Rivals Esports Tournament
- May 1-3 at Dickies Arena
You may not watch people play video games online, but millions do — and this gaming competition is part of the multibillion-dollar esports industry. Eight top-tier teams from across the planet will gather in Fort Worth to play Counter-Strike, a first-person shooter game that pits Terrorists against Counter-Terrorists. Just like other professional sports, esports have organized leagues, coaches, and commentators. Many fans follow every game and travel far and wide for tournaments like BLAST Premier Rivals. Energetic and aggressive, it’s a theatrical spectacle with enormous LED stages and dramatic special effects that whip the crowd into a frenzy, from UFC-style player entrances to lasers, smoke, and fire. “One of the great things about Dickies Arena is the space that we have for production, both backstage and front of house,” says Hamon. What about the Fortnite and Rocket League World Championships, which took place at Dickies in 2024? “We look forward to them coming back here in the fall.”
FOR NINJAS:
USA Open Karate Championships & Junior International Cup
- April 2-5 at Fort Worth Convention Center
Watch blackbelts punch and kick their way to victory at one of North America’s largest karate contests, where thousands of martial artists from dozens of countries compete for the win. In addition to Karate Kid-style sparring, you’ll see impressive demonstrations of traditional weapons like nunchucks, sickles, and three-pronged daggers — by professional athletes, as well as little girls whom you would not want to mess with. Some performances are set to music or feature acrobatics and flips, and teams also compete together in synchronized routines.
FULL LIST OF EVENTS
UIL State Spirit Championship
- Jan. 15-17 | Fort Worth Convention Center
National Cheerleaders AssociationHigh School Championship
- Jan. 23-25 | Fort Worth Convention Center
American Cheerleaders AssociationGrand Nationals
- Jan. 31-Feb. 1 | Fort Worth Convention Center
National Cutting Horse AssociationSuper Stakes
- March 18-April 11 | Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum
NCAA Women’s BasketballSuper Regionals: Sweet 16 & Elite 8
- March 27-30 | Dickies Arena
USA Open Karate Championships & Junior International Cup
- April 2-5 | Fort Worth Convention Center
FEI World Cup Finals Jumping & Dressage
- April 8-12 | Dickies Arena
NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship
- April 16-18 | Dickies Arena
BLAST Premier: Rivals Esports Tournament
- May 1-3 | Dickies Arena
PBR World Finals
- May 7-17 | Cowtown Coliseum & Dickies Arena
American Rodeo Championship
- May 22-23 | Globe Life Field
FIFA World Cup 2026
- June 11-July 19 | Dallas (AT&T) Stadium
National Cutting Horse AssociationSummer Spectacular
- July 11-Aug. 1 | Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum
National Cutting Horse AssociationChampionship Futurity
- Nov. 9-Dec. 5 | Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum
