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North Texas will host World Cup base camps for 2 European teams. Fans just don't know which ones yet

From left, Monica Paul, Dan Hunt, Jeff Cheney and Michael Evans pose for a photo at a FIFA World Cup news conference.
James Hartley
/
四虎影院
Frisco and Mansfield will each host a European team for the 2026 World Cup, though they aren't sure which ones. From left, Dallas Sports Commission Director Monica Paul, FC Dallas President Dan Hunt, Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney and Mansfield Mayor Michael Evans announcing the base camps.

Two North Texas base camps will be used by European teams during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the North Texas organizing committee announced Tuesday.

Toyota Stadium and Mansfield Stadium will each house a team that qualifies in the European playoffs, Dallas Sports Commission Director Monica Paul said at a news conference.

The announcement comes 100 days before the first match of the World Cup kicks off.

Poland, which could qualify in the UEFA playoffs, already picked Toyota Stadium for its base camp, reported last week.

Poland鈥檚 qualification isn鈥檛 guaranteed by any measure.

The national team would need to win against Albania鈥檚 national team, then beat the winner between Ukraine and Sweden.

Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney said the city is already looking at ways to promote the fact that FC Dallas鈥 home pitch will host a European team for training during the tournament.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a bit difficult since we don鈥檛 know who is going to be here yet, but we鈥檙e ready for it,鈥 Cheney said.

He said Frisco will be partnering with FC Dallas to host watch parties for every single World Cup match in front of city hall.

The second team would qualify through Playoff Path D that include the matches Denmark vs. North Macedonia and Czechia vs. Republic of Ireland.

Mansfield Mayor Michael Evans said his city is excited to play a role in the World Cup.

鈥淲e know that the city of Mansfield is going to be the kind of place where people will have the opportunity to call it home for a little while and they鈥檙e going to see some of our southern hospitality,鈥 Evans said.

He said Mansfield is 鈥済earing up and ready to go鈥 and that its selection as a base camp demonstrates his city is capable of playing a role in 鈥渨orld class events.鈥 Improvements to infrastructure, especially streets, are already underway there, Evans said.

He said after the news conference that Mansfield is the type of town that feels like home and where people want to hang out, and he鈥檚 excited for people from around the world to see that.

The city will also have concerts and parties during the World Cup.

鈥淲e look forward to painting the town,鈥 Evans said. 鈥淲hatever country we鈥檙e hosting, we鈥檒l paint the town that color.鈥

Got a tip? Email James Hartley at jhartley@kera.org. You can follow James on X @ByJamesHartley.

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James Hartley is the Arlington Government Accountability reporter for 四虎影院.