SMU’s Washburne Stadium will serve as an official FIFA World Cup 2026 training site, putting the Mustangs in the global spotlight.
SMU is officially stepping onto the FIFA World Cup 2026 stage, and that’s a massive win for the Mustangs, Dallas and North Texas.
The university’s Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium has been selected as a Venue Specific Training Site for the tournament, giving SMU a front-row role in one of the biggest sporting events on the planet.
The World Cup won’t just pass through Dallas. It’s going to take over the region, and SMU now sits right in the middle of that international spotlight.
Participating teams will use Washburne Stadium for training during the tournament in June and July, though those sessions won’t be open to the public.
Still, the selection is a major flex for SMU, which continues to build its profile in sports, academics, business and global engagement.
Dallas is scheduled to host nine World Cup matches, including a semifinal at AT&T Stadium.
That means fans, media, teams and sponsors from around the world will be locked in on North Texas for weeks. SMU being part of that ecosystem gives the university a powerful connection to the event beyond match day.
This isn’t Washburne Stadium’s first World Cup moment, either. The facility, then known as Westcott Field, was also used as a training site during the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Germany, Bulgaria, Sweden and the Netherlands were among the national teams that trained there before matches at the Cotton Bowl.
The timing is pretty perfect for SMU. The stadium has received recent upgrades, and Mustang athletics is riding momentum after SMU men’s soccer won the ACC Championship in just its second season in the league.
SMU also has academic programs tied directly to the sports industry, including sport management, sport performance leadership and applied physiology.
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For a university trying to expand its global reach, this is more than a facility announcement. It’s a statement.
The World Cup is coming to Dallas, and SMU just earned a piece of the action.
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