Arlington to Host Ambassador Row for 2026 FIFA World Cup Visitors

Published on April 25, 2025

By Office of Communication

With preparations ongoing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Deputy City Manager Jennifer Wichmann and Monica Paul, executive director of the Dallas Sports Commission, provided Arlington’s City Council with their second update on Tuesday, April 22. 

Stakeholders from the City of Arlington and regional working groups meet regularly to discuss topics including safety, beautification and cleanliness, operational logistics, community outreach and media relations, among others. The recent update included plans for Entertainment District improvements as well as public and business community communications. 

Key dates include the volunteer recruitment launch on Aug. 31, 2025, the FIFA Draw, which determines what teams will be playing in Arlington, in Dec. 2025, and base camps announced in March 2026. 

One of the plans to ensure a great visitor experience in Arlington is an Ambassador Row inside Choctaw Stadium. This would be a centralized location for embassies to provide services to international visitors. It is anticipated that 54% of the visitors for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be from different countries, with 41% of those visitors speaking English. 

“The Ambassador Row project will give Arlington a chance to show our visitors that Arlington is an international city capable of playing on a global stage,” said Wichmann. “This work will deepen the relationships we have with other nations through their embassies and provide support for their citizens who experience emergencies or other issues while traveling to Arlington for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.” 

City Council will continue to receive periodic updates as details become available and preparations move forward.