Is hosting – From exacting FIFA playing-surface rules to shutting down major offseason events, 11 NFL stadiums are preparing for World Cup matches. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones calls it a “great chance” for global soccer branding, even as the financial terms remain undisclose
When the World Cup comes to town, an NFL stadium doesn’t just get a new date on the calendar—it gets a new set of rules, a different operating rhythm, and a summer full of shutdowns.
The hoops are real. Teams hosting World Cup matches have to install playing surfaces that meet exacting standards. They have to change the names of the facilities. And they have to shut down other business—major concerts included—for the duration of the tournament.
With 11 NFL stadiums set to host World Cup games, it’s fair to ask whether the trade-off is worth it. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe recently laid out the question. speaking with an NFL official from a team that won’t be hosting. The official said, “I know more than a few teams weren’t disappointed to lose the bid.”.
The teams that did win the right to host, though, are celebrating. Cowboys owner and G.M. Jerry Jones said. “Can’t sleep.” He called it “a great chance to associate with the worldwide love with soccer. ” adding that it would let the Cowboys “put a little notch on our belt and share it with what soccer’s about. too.”.
Jones didn’t just talk about the World Cup as a sporting event. He framed it as something enduring: “They’ll never be able to take away that we held those games in that stadium.”
Stephen Jones echoed that message. “We’ll be shut down all summer. But it’s worth it,” the Cowboys executive said. “I mean, this is about brand and, you know, being a part of something special.”
The commitment went beyond public enthusiasm. The Joneses wanted to host badly enough to give up their suite for the matches. Jerry Jones said, “I think I’ve got to go someplace else, but that was a part of it.” He added, “We did a lot of things to make this work.”
The list of host stadiums runs across the league: the Cowboys, Patriots, Falcons, Texans, Chargers/Rams, Giants/Jets, Chiefs, Seahawks, 49ers, Dolphins, and Eagles will be hosting World Cup games in their stadiums.
Money is part of the pitch, even if the details stay locked up. Volin reports total revenue is projected to be roughly $11 billion. In that model, FIFA will pay rent for the stadiums but will keep revenue from sponsorships, tickets, suites, merchandise, concessions, and parking.
So what does that mean for the teams themselves?. Volin writes that the terms “have been kept under wraps.” That secrecy sits uneasily against the confidence coming from owners. The Cowboys’ camp isn’t known for losing on deals. and Volin’s piece suggests that. because of that. the hosts are likely making more money than they would in a normal summer.
Still, the headache remains. Extra work. Extra expenses. Extra hassles. And there’s another complication that can’t be fixed by spreadsheets: the public relations bruise that comes when fans see NFL owners meeting FIFA’s surface demands while refusing to do the same for pro football players.
The tension runs through the whole arrangement. The owners who won the bids are selling a global brand moment, even if it means giving up a suite and going dark for months. Teams that lost the bids, meanwhile, weren’t exactly heartbroken about the burden—only about the opportunity they’ll miss.
NFL World Cup FIFA stadium hosting Jerry Jones Cowboys Stephen Jones playing surface sponsorships tickets concerts brand