Dallas Cowboys’ Stadium Adapted for World Cup Matches

For 17 seasons, the Dallas Cowboys have called AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas their home. This venue is recognized for its enormous video board hanging above the 50-yard line. During the World Cup, it has been temporarily renamed Dallas Stadium.

In soccer matches, the stadium’s retractable-roof environment alters. End zones, yard markers, and artificial turf are removed. A notable change during these matches is the installation of curtains to block sunlight from the field. This adjustment drew the attention of Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer.

I’m a big World Cup guy. I watch a lot of the games. It’s been cool for me. I’ve been out by The Star watching the watch parties and stuff that people have had. It sounds like they had the blinders up… the shades, Schottenheimer explained in a press conference.

Sunlight streaming through the windows of AT&T Stadium has been a recurring issue since its opening in 2009. During a 2017 game, then-Cowboys receivers Dez Bryant and Brice Butler cited the sun’s glare as a reason for missed catches. In a 2021 playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, Cedrick Wilson struggled to see a pass. The following year, Michael Gallup missed a potential touchdown due to the glare.

Schottenheimer humorously referenced the issue, calling the sunlight “majestic.” He stated, Hey, look, if you guys could see the process and the plan we have in place to figure it out. We have satellite imaging. We have pictures of the sun, when it’s coming down. There’s a big plan and process. But I think historically at what’s happened it hasn’t affected many situations. We plan for it. The opponents plan for it. But at the end of the day, it’s something that we’re aware of. It’s very beautiful. It’s majestic when the sun comes through there.

AT&T Stadium hosted its first World Cup match on June 14, where the Netherlands and Japan played to a 1-1 draw. Known as “Jerry World” for Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones, it hosted another match on Wednesday, with England defeating Croatia 4-2. Curtains were in place for these matches and will be up again when Lionel Messi’s Argentina meets Austria on June 22.