SMU’s Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium in Dallas has been named an official FIFA World Cup 2026 Training Site, putting Southern Methodist University at the center of World Cup activity in North Texas. The announcement ties into nearby host locations like Mansfield and Frisco, and it could see some of the global teams that play at Dallas Stadium using SMU’s upgraded facilities during the tournament.
Training sites are not the same as base camps; teams usually stay at their base camp for most of the tournament and then travel to non-local training venues to prepare for other Group Stage matches. Czechia and Sweden are already set to be based in Mansfield and Frisco, respectively, which shows how teams are spreading out across the region. SMU’s role as a training site means it could host visiting squads on match days or between fixtures.
Eight teams have Group Stage games scheduled at Dallas Stadium, and because only Sweden’s base camp is local, a handful of those sides could potentially use SMU for practice. Argentina, Austria, Croatia, England, Japan, Jordan, and the Netherlands are among the teams that could train at Washburne during June, depending on logistics and scheduling. That makes SMU a practical option for teams needing a nearby, high-quality surface.
Local colleges were also named as possible base camp locations during the selection process, with TCU, UNT in Denton, and DBU listed among the options. It remains unclear whether those schools will actually host visiting national teams for extended stays or merely be on the roster of considered sites. Either way, North Texas institutions are in the mix for World Cup support roles.
AT&T Stadium in Arlington will be called Dallas Stadium during the event to comply with FIFA’s policy on naming rights, and it will carry the bulk of the regional match load. The venue will host nine matches in total, more than any other site, including five Group Stage games, four knockout matches, and a semifinal on July 14. That semifinal is one of the marquee events set for the North Texas stretch of the tournament.
Teams advancing past the Group Stage might also return to SMU for training as the bracket tightens and travel plans change. Advancement rules are straightforward: the top two teams in each group move on to the knockout rounds, along with the top eight third-place finishers across the groups. Teams finishing fourth in their groups are eliminated outright from contention.
Dallas Stadium’s local knockout dates include two Round of 32 matches on June 30 and July 3, followed by a Round of 16 match on July 6. Those dates could bring more teams into the Dallas metro area and increase demand for nearby practice fields like Washburne. Keep in mind that team training activities at SMU will not be open to the public, so fans should not expect public access to practices.
“Dallas is one of the world’s most dynamic and globally connected cities, and SMU is proud to help welcome the FIFA World Cup to our region,” President Jay Hartzell said. “This opportunity reflects the strength of our partnerships, our global community, and the exceptional experiences available to our students and faculty. We’re excited to contribute to the energy and momentum this historic event will bring to North Texas.”
Washburne Stadium’s selection is a return to form: the venue served as a training site during the 1994 FIFA World Cup when it was known as Westcott Field. Back then national teams including Germany, Bulgaria, Sweden, and the Netherlands used the facility while preparing for matches at the Cotton Bowl. That history adds a layer of continuity to SMU’s role in international soccer events.
Recent upgrades to Washburne Stadium helped put the site back on FIFA’s radar, and the timing dovetails with momentum across SMU Athletics and the university as a whole. In just its second season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, SMU Men’s Soccer captured the ACC Championship, a sign that the program is on the rise. The combination of facility investment and competitive success made SMU an attractive training-site candidate.
World Cup matches coming to Dallas include the following schedule: June 14 at 3 p.m. CT — Netherlands vs. Japan; June 17 at 3 p.m. CT — England vs. Croatia; and June 22 at 12 p.m. CT — Argentina vs. Austria. These Group Stage fixtures are part of the heavy June calendar that will bring global attention to the stadium and the region.
Additional local matches are June 25 at 6 p.m. CT — Japan vs. Sweden; June 27 at 9 p.m. CT — Jordan vs. Argentina; and June 30 at 12 p.m. CT for a Round of 32 pairing. The schedule continues with July 3 at 1 p.m. CT for another Round of 32 match, July 6 at 2 p.m. CT for a Round of 16 contest, and the semifinal on July 14 at 2 p.m. CT.
SMU also brings a global campus profile to the table: the university hosts more than 2,400 international students and scholars, about 260 international faculty members, and offers over 140 study abroad programs across more than 40 countries. That international reach gives SMU added incentive to support world-class events and to provide a welcoming environment for visiting teams and their staff.
