Lionel Messi and Argentina are officially headed to North Texas next summer.
The defending World Cup champions, featuring one of the best players in soccer history, will play two group matches at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium.
England vs. Croatia, which should be one of the most competitive group stage matches, is also headed to Arlington.
FIFA announced the complete match schedule, with Japan also playing two matches in North Texas.
Sports Roundup
The five group matches in Arlington are:
June 14: Netherlands vs. Japan, 3 p.m. CT
June 17: England vs. Croatia, 3 p.m. CT
June 22: Argentina vs. Austria, noon CT
June 25: Japan vs. UEFA Path B winner, 6 p.m. CT
June 27: Jordan vs. Argentina, 9 p.m. CT
*UEFA Path B playoff: Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania
(The UEFA playoffs will be contested in March. The winner of the four-team bracket will qualify for Group F.)
The groups for the tournament, which runs June 11-July 19 next year in the United States, Mexico and Canada, were revealed Friday, narrowing the possibilities for North Texas’ matches. FIFA refers to AT&T Stadium as Dallas Stadium in all official announcements and scheduling.
Four knockout-stage matches will also be played at AT&T Stadium, including a semifinal. Tickets have been on sale through various phases, with the next lottery registration opening Dec. 11.
Austria
FIFA ranking: 24
World Cup appearances: 7th
Best finish: 3rd (1954)
Notable: Austria is making its first World Cup appearance since 1998, where it failed to win a match, crashing out in the group stage. However, it has advanced out of the group stage in back-to-back European championships. The squad is led by its two most-capped players: all-time leading goalscorer Marko Arnautovic (47 goals) and Real Madrid fullback David Alaba. Austria allowed just four goals during its qualifying campaign.
Argentina
FIFA ranking: 2
World Cup appearances: 19th
Best finish: Winners (2022, 1986, 1978)
Notable: One of the world’s best teams with one of the world’s best players is poised to invade the Metroplex. Expect high ticket prices for both of Argentina’s matches, with fans eager to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi, whose 2023 appearance with Inter Miami vs. FC Dallas was one of the hottest tickets of the year. Argentina will be one of the favorites to lift the Cup. If it stumbles and finishes as the runner-up in its group, it could appear again in Arlington in the semifinals.
Croatia
FIFA ranking: 10
World Cup appearances: 7th
Best finish: Runners-up (2018)
Notable: One of the most consistent squads of the last decade, Croatia has advanced to back-to-back semifinals, including a surprise run to the 2018 World Cup Final, where it lost to France. Generational midfielder Luka Modric just turned 40, but is still one of the most influential players in the world. An added bonus of Croatia’s appearance in North Texas is the possible inclusion of FC Dallas striker Petar Musa, who scored his first goal for Croatia last month in a 3-1 win over Faroe Islands.
England
FIFA ranking: 4
World Cup appearances: 17th
Best finish: Winners (1966)
Notable: England failed to qualify the last time the World Cup was in North Ameria, but it will be another favorite to lift the cup. Led by Harry Kane, whose goalscoring prowess has only increased as he’s turned 30, the squad features some of the most recognizable players because of the popularity of the English Premier League among American soccer fans. England had a perfect qualifying record, winning all eight of its matches and outscoring opposition 22-0.
Japan
FIFA ranking: 18
World Cup appearances: 8th
Best finish: Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022)
Notable: One of the most consistent Asian teams, Japan was one of the first squads to qualify for the 2026 World Cup outside of the three host nations. Japan topped European giants Germany and Spain in the 2022 edition of the tournament, coming up short against Croatia on penalties. In the run up to the World Cup, Japan has recently defeated Brazil, Ghana and Bolivia. With two matches in Arlington, Blue Samarai could become one of the tournament darlings thanks to its dedicated traveling fanbase.
Jordan
FIFA ranking: 66
World Cup appearances: First
Best finish: NA
Notable: One of the tournament debutants, Jordan is among the lowest-ranked teams to qualify for the World Cup. Argentina is a daunting task for any team, but Jordan will likely be playing in an all-or-nothing match against the defending champions in the final group stage game for both teams. Jordan were the Runners-Up at the 2023 Asian Cup, and was one of the last teams to qualify outright for the World Cup. The overwhelming majority of its players play professionally in the Jordanian Pro League, but forward Musa Al-Taamari features heavily for Rennes in the top flight of France’s Ligue 1.
Netherlands
FIFA ranking: 7
World Cup appearances: 12th
Best finish: Runners-Up (1978, 1974)
Notable: The Netherlands will be a darkhorse team to lift the Cup, advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup and semifinals of the 2024 European Championships. Netherlands played Brazil in the 1994 World Cup at The Cotton Bowl, a memorable 3-2 quarterfinals win by Brazil. Memphis Depay was one of the top scorers in European qualification with eight goals, as Oranje still feature a flashy style of play marked by its predecessors, often making it one of the more exciting teams for neutrals to watch during international tournaments.
Four-team playoff
The final team headed to AT&T Stadium won’t be determined until March, when the final playoffs are concluded:
March 26: Ukraine vs. Sweden
March 26: Poland vs. Albania
March 31: Semifinal winners
Albania have never advanced to a World Cup, while Poland and Sweden are mainstays. Sweden finished third in the 1994 World Cup in the United States. Ukraine, which has been forced to play its “home” qualifying matches in neighboring countries because of its ongoing war with Russia, has been to just one World Cup: a 2006 quarterfinal finish.