If you are visiting the United States for the first time, you might see groups of people in parking lots cooking food out of the back of their cars, playing music, tossing footballs and eating barbecue hours before the game even starts. That is tailgating, and it is one of the most distinctly American sports traditions you will encounter.
Both Globe Life Field and Dallas Stadium in the Arlington Entertainment District have tailgating cultures, but the rules are different at each venue. Here is what you need to know.
Tailgating is the practice of gathering in a stadium parking lot before (and sometimes after) a game to eat, drink and socialize. The name comes from the tailgate of a pickup truck, which serves as a table and serving area. Fans set up portable grills, coolers, folding chairs and sometimes pop-up tents to create a pre-game party atmosphere.
For international visitors, tailgating might look chaotic at first, but it follows unwritten rules of hospitality. Strangers share food and drinks with their neighbors. Conversations start easily. It is a communal experience that is as much a part of the event as the game itself.
Tailgating is permitted for Texas Rangers games in most designated parking lots. The South Lawn is a popular gathering spot and offers a more relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere.
Charcoal grills are permitted in grassy areas surrounding the parking lots. Propane cooktops and stoves are banned for safety reasons. Glass containers are not allowed. All tailgating equipment must stay in the grassy areas and cannot block pedestrian walkways.
Tailgating starts when the lots open and continues until one hour after the final out. The lots are not available for tailgating in Lots A, B and T.
For Dallas Cowboys games and college football events, tailgating at Dallas Stadium is a celebrated tradition. It is permitted in designated grassy areas on the perimeters of Lots 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.
The “one spot” rule applies: parking spaces are for vehicles only. You cannot use an adjacent spot for tents, grills or chairs. All equipment must stay within 12 feet of the rear of your vehicle. Charcoal and gas grills are allowed, but deep fryers and open flames are prohibited.
Lots typically open four to five hours before kickoff. Tailgating is allowed until two hours after the game ends. Saving spots, amplified sound systems and selling items are all banned.
For the 2026 international soccer tournament, tailgating rules at Dallas Stadium (referred to as “Dallas Stadium” for the tournament) are subject to change. Final rules will be confirmed closer to the tournament, and visitors should expect tighter restrictions, heightened security and a shift toward organized fan zones rather than traditional parking lot tailgating.
If you have never tailgated before, these basics will help you fit in.
Bring something to share. Even if it is just a bag of chips or a case of drinks, contributing to the communal spread is part of the culture. Do not take food from someone else’s setup without being offered. Clean up after yourself; leaving trash behind is considered poor form.
If someone invites you over to their tailgate, accept. You will eat well, hear stories and get a crash course in American sports culture that no museum or guidebook can replicate.
All parking at both stadiums is cashless. Bring a card or set up digital payments before you arrive. Arrive three to four hours early for the best tailgate spots, which are first-come, first-served. A wagon is useful for transporting coolers and grills from your car to the grassy areas, as parking may be a distance from the tailgate zones.
Both stadiums have strict, separate bag policies. Globe Life Field allows soft-sided bags up to 16 by 16 by eight inches. Dallas Stadium requires clear bags no larger than 12 by six by 12 inches. Plan your bag around whichever venue you are entering.
Tailgating is the American tradition of gathering in a stadium parking lot before a game to cook, eat, drink and socialize.
Yes. Tailgating is permitted in most designated parking lots during Rangers games. Charcoal grills are allowed in grassy areas.
Final tailgating rules for the tournament are subject to change and will be confirmed closer to the event. Expect tighter restrictions than typical Cowboys game days.
A portable grill (charcoal at Globe Life Field; charcoal or gas at Dallas Stadium for non-tournament events), a cooler with drinks, folding chairs and food to share. No glass containers at either venue.
Tailgating in the parking lots is free once you have paid for parking. All parking is cashless.
Three to four hours before the event for the best spots. Lots are first-come, first-served.
