Arlington Prepares to Keep City Moving During World Cup

Published on May 12, 2026

By Cynthia Lemus, Office of Communication

As Arlington prepares to host nine matches during the FIFA World Cup 2026™, City and regional leaders are working together to ensure residents and visitors can move efficiently throughout the region.

In the latest episode of “Arlington Welcomes the World,” transportation experts outlined a comprehensive, multi-agency plan designed to manage traffic, expand transit options and maintain safety during one of the largest sporting events in the world.

Karla Windsor, senior program manager with the North Central Texas Council of Governments, said the strategy is the result of years of collaboration across cities, transit agencies and state partners.

“It’s a very collaborative approach,” Windsor said. “We’ve been planning for two years now… thinking of a multimodal approach.”

The transportation plan combines parking, rail service, charter buses, designated rideshare areas and pedestrian routes to help fans access Arlington’s Entertainment District on match days. One of the key transportation components will be the Trinity Railway Express commuter rail line connecting Dallas and Fort Worth, with charter buses transporting fans from the TRE CentrePort Station directly into Arlington.

“We will have 125 charter buses… and anyone that has a ticket to the game, those charter buses will be free to bring them into the Arlington Entertainment District,” Windsor said.

While the tournament will last several weeks, officials said the biggest traffic impacts will occur on Arlington’s nine match days, when roads near the stadium — including AT&T Way, Cowboys Way and portions of Nolan Ryan Expressway — will close to support event operations and pedestrian safety.

Residents are encouraged to stay informed, plan ahead and use alternate routes when possible.

“We hope that people are taking advantage of different online communication tools from the City, from FIFA and other platforms… and really being aware of those game days and peak travel times,” Windsor said.

At the local level, Arlington is also investing in long-term traffic improvements designed to benefit residents beyond the World Cup.

Chris Funches, senior engineer with the City’s Public Works Department, said Arlington is upgrading signal technology, expanding the Traffic Management Center and improving traffic monitoring capabilities across the 99-square-mile city.

“One of the cool things about World Cup investments is that everybody looks at them as short term… but for us, it pretty much made an investment for the city along with it,” Funches said.

The expanded Traffic Management Center will allow City staff and regional agencies to monitor traffic conditions in real time and respond more proactively to congestion and roadway issues.

For residents looking to avoid delays, Funches offered simple advice:

“I would say learn when the game days are… and also alternate routes,” Funches said.

For the latest updates on World Cup preparations, transportation and what to expect in Arlington, visit ArlingtonTX.gov/WorldCup.