England v Croatia
FIFA World Cup 2026, Group L
Dallas Stadium
Arlington, Texas, USA
17 Jun 26
There was no official programme for FIFA WC 26 but the FA did produce a matchday poster for each game played by the free lions, available on England@England on X
Official FIFA WC Host City Poster
ESTC applications for England's World Cup opener in Dallas against Croatia were oversubscribed by 910. There were 4932 applicants for 4022 tickets in the following categories: 1006 x Cat 1, 1006 x Cat 2, 1458 x Cat 3 and 552 at Cat 4. Luckily I qualified for the lowest category of ticket (Supporter entry/Cat 4) which was $60 (£45). Sue had to settle for (Supporter Value/Cat 3) tickets which were a whopping $265 (£198)
The outrageous ticket pricing from FIFA
The Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium) is located in Arlington in Texas and has a capacity of 80,000 (reduced to 70,649) for the World Cup. It has a retractable roof and is the largest stadium in the NFL. It is the home of Dallas Cowboys and had the honour of hosting 9 FIFA 26 WC games, including the 1st SF:
14 Jun 26: Netherlands 2 Japan 2 (Group F)
07 Jun 26: England 4 Croatia 2 (Group L)
22 Jun 26: Argentina 2 Austria 0 (Group J)
25 Jun 26: Japan 1 Sweden 1 (Group F)
27 Jun 26: Jordan 1 Argentina 3 (Group J)
30 Jun 26: Ivory Coast 1 Norway 2 (Rd of 32)
03 Jul 26: Australia 1 (2p) Egypt 1 (4p) (Rd of 32)
06 Jul 26: Portugal 0 Spain 1 (Rd of 16)
14 Jul 26: France 0 Spain 2 (SF)
Attendance: 70,389
Harry takes centre stage for the 200th edition
After flying into Dallas Fort Worth on Delta flight DL0818 from Miami via Atlanta, we arrived at our digs in Knox Henderson, a vibrant area of Dallas
Day 1 in Dallas is spent at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, the site of the Texas School Book Depository where Lee Harvey Oswald is alleged to have shot and killed JFK on 22 Nov 63 as he travelled in a presidential motorcade
The Warren commission concluded that the shooter fired three times; the first shot missed, the second (the single bullet) wounded JFK and John Connally and the third fatal shot hit the president in the head. The model shows shots 2 and 3
X marks the fatal shooting of JFK
The Reunion Tower is 171 meters tall and has a GeO-Deck where you can get great views of Dallas
Dallas baby😎
The longhorn sculptures are on Pioneer Plaza and there are 49 bronze longhorn steers and 3 cowboys on horseback. During the WC they were all dressed for the party
The sculptures commemorate the19th
century cattle drives along the Shawnee trail
Dallas Farmers Market (1941) is one of the city's oldest
and best known food and shopping outlets
It does corona too
Day 2 and were off to Southfork Ranch
JR, me and Sue Ellen
Bobby Ewing's (red) Mercedes 450 SL
Dallas baby 😎
Day 3 and I'm in Arlington at 'Texas Live!'
Opposite Texas Live! is the Dallas Stadium
Can't wait until KO on 17th Jun
15 Jun and It's MLB night as the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins clash at the Globe Life Field next door
Parking the bus
Sue is going love Texas
The "Eye" is a 30 ft giant eyeball just off Maine St and
close to the fans embassy, so had to visit
I was the first fan to pick up edition 200
After picking up Sue from DFW
we drove to our digs in Fort Worth
On the 1st night we dine Mexican style at
the legendary Joe T Garcias at Fort Worth
Margaretta's and Shiner Bock at JTG's
Law enforcement is required on Sundance Square
Sue and the Silver Stetson
Fan Zone at Sundance Square
It's matchday in Dallas/Fort Worth
After arriving from Fort Worth central station to Centre Port
we head to another shuttle to take us to Arlington
At last we arrive
The first person we bump into is England's self confessed
No1 fan, Andy Milne the star of 'That World Cup Guy'
Sue meets a real Texas cowboy
Steve meets a Croatian cowgirl
Fan fest is taking shape and
the Modelo is flowing
Forest fan who got seen off on his stag do🤣
Team MacDonald meets Team Hesketh
Tubes 🚂
The best stadium at the World Cup
Pano
England Cat 3 - Sue's in there somewhere
The VAR officials are...😡
Arrr, there she is!
Photo opportunity with 'the family'
Sue meets the odd couple😁
Sue's new bezzies
Croatian surfer flag
Croatian end
Awesome stadium
England to my right...
England to my left...
Full house at the Dallas Stadium
England's 4th goal and the game is ours
It's all over and England have won
Played 1, Won 1
Now for the exit strategy..
Shutte bus from Arlington to Centre Port...and
TRE (Trinity Railway Express) from CentrePort
to Fort Worth central station
It's Terry Black's time
This restaurant originates from Black's BBQ
in Lockhart which opened it's doors in 1932.
The food is delicious. I had the Sliced Brisket and Pork Ribs with sides of green beans, Mexican rice and potato salad
Not all cowgirls wear Stetsons😁
Day 3 in Fort Worth starts with breakfast at Montgomery Street Cafe opposite the world famous Dickies arena
What a great Cafe/diner
Don't ask what I had but it tasted real good😋
Fort Worth Stock Yards
Me on Eila
Sue with Bentley
Team photo at the Fort Worth stables
The longhorn cattle drive through the stockyards
She's from Texas I can tell
Pork ribs, corn and 'Shiner Bock'
Riding the rails
Riding the longhorns
Pro Bull Riding at the Cowtown Coliseum
Enter the gladiators🔥
Next up it's a double header at Billy Bobs
Bottomland live!
Day 4 and were off for brunch at the Rabbit Hole where the best tacos truck ever is located (Chef Taco)
Everything tastes good with a Shiner Bock
Cheers
On our final night we go to the rodeo
The Star Spangled Banner
Cowboys and Barrel Racers
Mindy Holloway wins the Barrel Racing
Rodeo Clown is clowning about again
Cowgirls in the Coliseum
Old Fashioned night caps
I could sure get used to this Texas thang! 🤠
