Driving around the Dallas-Fort Worth area can be a hectic experience both for longtime residents and newcomers to the city. With the FIFA World Cup in North Texas kicking off later this month, traffic is expected to surge during game days.
Arlington’s AT&T Stadium — renamed Dallas Stadium for the World Cup — is not the only location fans should have on their radar, as the FIFA Fan Festival will be another FIFA-hosted space for all things World Cup, from live broadcasts to live entertainment.
The Fan Festival will take place at Fair Park in Dallas from June 11 through July 19. The experience’s hours vary, but generally it’ll be open between 11 a.m. and midnight, depending on how many matches are scheduled for that day.
However, the event will not be open during the following rest days: July 8, 12, 13, 16 and 17.
Fair Park is home to the annual State Fair of Texas and the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium, which hosts home games for Dallas Trinity FC.
The Denton County Transportation Authority’s A-train and DART are a good alternative for those who do not want to drive all the way down to Dallas.
The 21-mile rail line connects Denton County with Dallas via Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s Green Line at the Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton.
The A-train runs Monday through Saturday, meaning people who want to attend the festival on Sundays will need to find another way to Dallas.
Monday through Friday, the train runs every 30 minutes until 12:30 a.m. On Saturdays, the train runs every hour.
The A-train stops at five different stations before reaching Trinity Mills Station:
- Downtown Denton Transit Center
- MedPark Station
- Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station
- Old Town Station
- Hebron Station
After arriving at Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton, transfer to DART’s Green Line and ride 18 stops southbound toward Fair Park Station.
While a local fare pass to use DCTA transportation is $1.50 and a day pass is $3, the DART regional pass is a more cost-effective option to get around Denton and Dallas. Additional fare information for Dallas services and trip planning can be found on the DART website.
In total, a ride down to Fair Park from Denton and back runs about $9.
Hop off at Fair Park Station and walk right to the Fair Park entrance into the festival.
At the Fan Festival, there will be a walkable village for fans, with giant viewing areas, mini pitches, sponsor zones, food courts stretching across Lots 9 and 10, and The Pavilion amphitheater.
The mini pitches area will have soccer skills contests, pickup games and kid-friendly drills. The sponsor zone will have interactive games, giveaways and cultural showcases for people to enjoy.
All of the Fan Festival is a free event and open to the public, but people have options to buy tickets that provide additional benefits.
The GA+ ticket goes for $50 per day and offers access to dedicated premium entry lanes and access to the Starplex Lounge.
The Legends tickets goes for $250 per day and includes all the GA+ amenities plus access to two other lounges.
GA+ and Legends tickets are not available on June 28, July 4 and July 9. More information about tickets and where to buy them can be found at the FIFA World Cup Dallas ticket website.
Three live concerts are also planned during Fan Festival. Tickets start at $26 and are required for each concert separately.
Performers include:
- June 28: The Latin Legacy Tour, featuring Baby Bash, Lil Rob, MC Magic and special guest Concrete
- July 4: Turnpike Troubadours
- July 9: Major Lazor, featuring Diplo, Walshy Fire and Ape Drums
More information about Fan Festival can be found at the FIFA World Cup Dallas website.
