Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
PBR
In Texas, where legacy matters and grit is currency, there are few stages as fiercely contested as the one beneath a bull rider's boots. And in May 2026, the epicenter of that arena-caliber drama will be back where it belongs — deep in the heart of Fort Worth.
PBR (Professional Bull Riders) announced that its World Finals — the high-stakes championship of its top-tier Unleash The Beast tour — will return to Dickies Arena for a four-day showdown, May 14–17. The early rounds will unfold at Cowtown Coliseum, May 7–10, marking a two-stop run that puts both of Fort Worth’s crown-jewel Western venues in the national spotlight.
“With the 2026 FIFA World Cup coming to AT&T Stadium, PBR World Finals – Championship will shift to a new home for the season – Dickies Arena,” said Sean Gleason, CEO and Commissioner of PBR. “We’re proud to keep the toughest championship in sports right here in Texas, starting the journey at historic Cowtown Coliseum and culminating with crowning our new World Champion at Dickies Arena — also home to the Fort Worth Rattlers of PBR Teams.”
Dickies Arena isn’t new to this dance. It hosted the Finals in 2022 and 2023, bearing witness to some of the sport’s most jaw-dropping rides — like Daylon Swearingen’s 93-point conquest of Big Black on his way to a gold buckle, or Mauricio Moreira’s unforgettable 94.25-point scorcher aboard WSM’s Jive Turkey.
The drama hit fever pitch in 2023, when only 16 points separated frontrunners Kaique Pacheco and José Vitor Leme entering Finals week. But it was Brazilian dark horse Rafael Jose de Brito who lit up Dickies, winning the World Finals, World Champion title, and Rookie of the Year honors in one electrifying sweep — a rare “Triple Crown” few saw coming.
Now, with AT&T Stadium committed to hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the World Finals returns to its former home in full. And for many, it feels just right.
“We are excited to welcome back PBR World Finals to Dickies Arena and to create a packed arena with enthusiastic fans to witness these incredible world-class athletes,” said Matt Homan, general manager and president of Dickies Arena.
But the party starts a week earlier at Cowtown Coliseum — the Stockyards’ storied showplace where it all began. PBR’s very first event was held there in 1993. In 2024 and 2025, the venue hosted the early rounds to standing-room-only crowds, reinvigorating the Finals format and reintroducing fans to the Coliseum’s singular charm.
“Cowtown Coliseum was the site of the first indoor rodeo, the first rodeo broadcast on radio, and the first televised rodeo in the United States,” said Tim Long, general manager of Cowtown Coliseum. “It’s only fitting that this historic Fort Worth venue now serves as the home of the crucial opening rounds of PBR World Finals.”
Visit Fort Worth CEO Bob Jameson summed up the sentiment across the city: “Fort Worth is honored to welcome PBR World Finals back to both Cowtown Coliseum and Dickies Arena — two iconic venues that showcase the city’s Western heritage and world-class hospitality.”
Presale access begins August 18, with tickets going on sale to the public August 25 at pbrworldfinals.com.
