FIFA’s 2026 World Cup mistake: Its final should be in DFW, not New York
Among the many concessions the city of Arlington and the Dallas Cowboys had to agree to secure these World Cup matches, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones acquiesced to turning over his personal “perch” inside AT&T Stadium.
The perch is Jerry’s personal suite he uses for Cowboys games, and it’s reserved for family and the closest of friends, usually former New Jersey governor and onetime presidential hopeful Chris Christie. Can’t make that up.
FIFA wanted the perch, so FIFA gets the perch, which on Friday sat empty for the knockout match between Egypt and Australia.
Too bad; this match was the best of this World Cup. Egypt won in penalties to advance to the round of 16. It’s the first time Egypt has ever won a knockout match.
The perch, the beautiful real grass, the tinted windows, the curtains on the windows — whatever FIFA asked for, the city of Arlington, the Cowboys, Fort Worth, Dallas, Frisco and Mansfield and seemingly everyone else who was asked agreed to everything FIFA wanted to make this World Cup in North Texas a reality.
The one goodie bag we didn’t get is the one we now see in real time we deserved the most: the final. As this tournament moves on, and we draw closer to the finale, the overwhelming fan and media reaction to the World Cup venues is that the one selected for the finals ranks among the worst.
The 2026 World Cup finals should not be at “New York Stadium” but “Dallas Stadium.”
Dallas Stadium is better than New York Stadium
The venue usually known as MetLife Stadium in New Jersey’s Meadowlands opened in 2010, one year after AT&T Stadium was born in Arlington. One has aged well, whereas the other looks like its breakfast consists of a pack of cigarettes with Cheerios swimming in a bowl of Jack Daniel’s.
Of the “new” major NFL stadiums opened in the last 15 to 20 years, MetLife typically ranks near the bottom. If not the bottom.
It was built to replace Giants Stadium, and MetLife’s greatest asset as a venue is that it’s open. That and the toilets flush. Shortly after it opened, it was evident that this is one of those venues that would not age well.
It is famously located in a massive parking lot, and close to nothing other than a horse track that houses plenty of stray cats.
AT&T Stadium was a game-changer that impacted nearly all of the new major venues built after it opened; thanks to its scale, vision, massive video board and upkeep, it remains relevant globally.
Whereas the collective reaction to “Dallas Stadium” and the accompanying Texas Live! in Arlington for these World Cup matches has been thunderously positive, the response to “New York Stadium” in New Jersey has been bottom-of-the-toilet bad.
Oliver Holt of the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom posted on social media of MetLife, “America has some wonderful, breathtaking sports stadiums. This isn’t one of them.”
Sports journalist Amos Murphy of Express Sport in the U.K. posted, “The pitch at MetLife looks atrocious.”
These are two examples. There are so many more.
On the topic of selecting the site for the World Cup finale, Jerry Jones was right. It was not about the venue. It’s all about location-location-location.
Jerry Jones was prophetic about the World Cup finals
The disappointment inside AT&T Stadium was as thick as concrete in 2024 when FIFA announced its cities, venues and schedule for this 2026 World Cup. The Cowboys, Jerry, North Texas leaders were all sure that the finals were going to AT&T Stadium.
All of the reports leading up to the actual announcement said that the finals would be in Arlington. Even though AT&T Stadium was picked to host nine matches, including a semifinal, the disappointment to FIFA’s selection was a cold rain shower on what should have been a fun afternoon.
After the announcement was made, Jerry told a small group of reporters that he believed “the perception of New York” was the card that no other city could beat. When it comes to city versus city to host a major international event, New York could easily be undefeated.
FIFA had to look past superior venues both in Arlington, and Los Angeles, to go with “New York Stadium” for the final game what has been a tremendous tournament.
As this World Cup continues to play out, the criticisms, fears and concerns about the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets have all been realized to an international audience.
New York City may be great, but New York Stadium in New Jersey is not, and the better option to a World Cup finale was the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 5:02 PM.
