Seven days in the Dallas-Fort Worth area gives you enough time to attend a global soccer match at AT&T Stadium, catch a Texas Rangers game at Globe Life Field, explore both Dallas and Fort Worth and still have a recovery day built in for the Texas heat. The key is planning each day around real events and real locations so nothing gets wasted.
Here is the day-by-day plan.
Matches are played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, which is renamed “Dallas Stadium” for the 2026 international soccer tournament. The venue is not in the City of Dallas. It sits in the Arlington Entertainment District, about 25 minutes west of downtown Dallas by car. Arlington hosts multiple matches across the group stage and knockout rounds. Check the official tournament fixture list for specific dates and matchups.
Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, sits within walking distance of AT&T Stadium in the same district. Texas Live!, the 200,000-square-foot dining and entertainment complex, connects the two venues.
Fly into DFW Airport and head to your hotel. If you are staying in downtown Dallas, the DART Orange Line connects Terminal A to downtown in about 50 minutes. A rideshare from DFW Airport to downtown Dallas costs $35 to $55 and takes about 35 minutes.
Spend the evening at Reunion Tower. The GeO-Deck at 470 feet offers 360-degree panoramic views of the Dallas skyline, and sunset is the best time to visit. It is a good way to orient yourself to the city on your first night.
The official fan festival for the tournament takes place at Fair Park in Dallas, a 277-acre Art Deco complex that holds one of the largest collections of Art Deco exhibition buildings in the world. The festival is expected to accommodate tens of thousands of visitors with covered seating areas, and entry is free. Giant screens broadcast matches, and live music, international food vendors and interactive experiences fill the grounds.
Fair Park is accessible via the DART Green Line directly from downtown Dallas. A DART Day Pass costs $6 and covers rail, buses and the TRE commuter rail to CentrePort Station.
While at Fair Park, walk through the African American Museum (free admission) and see the Cotton Bowl exterior.
Head to the Arlington Entertainment District about four hours before kickoff. Texas Live! runs coverage on its 100-foot LED screen, and the atmosphere builds throughout the day. Arrive at the gates at least 90 minutes before kickoff. After the match, stay in the district for dinner at Lockhart Smokehouse or Sports and Social Arlington at Texas Live!.
Budget tip: Rideshare prices surge immediately after events. Wait 15 to 20 minutes for the rush to clear.
Get tickets to see the Rangers in 2026 and experience American baseball. Globe Life Field is within walking distance of AT&T Stadium, so if you are staying in the Entertainment District, no additional transport is needed. Gates open two hours before first pitch for night games (typically 7:05 p.m. CT on weekdays and 6:05 p.m. CT on weekends).
The Rangers play home games throughout June and July. Check the schedule for dates that line up with your visit. The ballpark has a retractable roof and air conditioning, so the Texas heat is not a factor inside.
Walk the concourse, find the Nolan Ryan statue at the North Entrance and try the Boomstick (a two-foot-long loaded hot dog) or Hurtado Barbecue at Section 141. Wednesday home games feature Dollar Dog Night.
Budget tip: Bring outside food in a sealed, clear, quart-sized plastic bag (one per ticket) and one sealed bottle of non-flavored water up to one liter.
Take the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) from Dallas Union Station to Fort Worth Central Station. The ride takes about 55 minutes. A TRE single-zone ticket costs $2.50, or use the $12 Regional Day Pass that covers DART, TRE and TEXRail for the full day.
Watch the longhorn cattle drive at 11:30 a.m. CT along East Exchange Avenue. Eat at Cattlemen’s Steak House (steaks since 1947) or Joe T. Garcia’s (Tex-Mex, cash only). In the afternoon, walk Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth for restaurants, fountains and a more relaxed urban feel.
If your visit falls on a Friday or Saturday, Cowtown Coliseum hosts the only year-round indoor rodeo at 7:30 p.m. CT. Billy Bob’s Texas has live country music and indoor bull riding.
Start the morning in the Bishop Arts District, a walkable neighborhood of 60-plus independently owned businesses in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas. Take the free Dallas Streetcar from Union Station to Bishop Arts (six stops, about 15 minutes). Grab coffee, browse Spinster Records and eat pie at Emporium Pies.
In the evening, head to Deep Ellum for live music, street art and barbecue. Terry Black’s Barbecue and Pecan Lodge are both in the neighborhood. The area comes alive after 9:00 p.m. CT on weekends.
Use your last morning for anything you missed. The Grand Slam Team Store at Globe Life Field is open on non-game days from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT if you want Rangers merchandise. The Dallas Museum of Art (free admission) and Klyde Warren Park are quick morning stops if you are in downtown Dallas.
Leave time for traffic to DFW Airport. The drive from Arlington takes 20 to 35 minutes depending on the time of day. From downtown Dallas, allow 35 to 45 minutes.
Flights vary by origin. Ground costs for seven days at a mid-range level include hotel ($100 to $200 per night), food ($30 to $60 per day), transport ($15 to $40 per day via DART and rideshare mix) and attractions ($50 to $100 total for ticketed items). Rangers tickets vary by section and day. Soccer match tickets are priced separately through official channels.
Waco (90 minutes south) and Grapevine (20 minutes north) are worthwhile day trips but not essential on a seven-day schedule. Six Flags Over Texas is fun but takes a full day. If time is tight, prioritize Fort Worth over theme parks.
Yes. AT&T Stadium in Arlington is renamed “Dallas Stadium” for the 2026 international soccer tournament. It is located in the Arlington Entertainment District, not in the City of Dallas.
About 25 minutes west by car, roughly 20 miles.
Yes. This itinerary dedicates a full day to Fort Worth (Day 5) with time for the Stockyards, Sundance Square and a rodeo if your visit falls on a Friday or Saturday.
Not necessarily. DART rail covers downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Bishop Arts and Deep Ellum. The TRE connects Dallas to Fort Worth. Arlington requires rideshare or the event-day trolley, as it does not have a public rail connection.
The free TRE LINK bus to CentrePort Station, then Arlington On-Demand (Via app) for $3. Total cost: $3.
Yes. The Rangers play home games throughout the summer at Globe Life Field, within walking distance of AT&T Stadium. Check the schedule for dates that line up with your visit.
