Cowboy country turns into World Cup epicentre in Dallas

World Cup 2026: Cowboy country turns into football epicentre in Dallas, Texas Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 5:05am An oversized concrete football sporting a cowboy hat sits in the middle of an open-air plaza, as a DJ pumps out bangers. Chants of "Nippon, Nippon" reverberate through the thick heat of a Dallas summer evening, and a man dressed in a glorious homemade cardboard armour concoction revs up the crowd. This is Plano, Texas, an affluent suburb in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, home to only a couple of thousand Japanese residents. And most of them seem to be here on what has been named "Japan Day", as a prelude to the Samurai Blue's first World Cup game against the Netherlands. The team's main supporter group, Ultras Nippon, has combined with MLS side FC Dallas and supporter group Dallas Beer Guardians to bring this event to life. Dennis McGowan, the Beer Guardians' vice-president, says they have a long-standing connection with Japan. "We have friends that go over and go to FC Tokyo games all the time, and go to many other games across Japan," he said. "And so we've had a great relationship with them over the years and being able to welcome them to our home now is just incredible." Dallas will host nine games — the most of any city — this tournament, and Mr McGowan hopes it can leave a lasting impact. "I want local people to come out and see that beyond just the international game, we have the game here," he said. "We've got FC Dallas here, we've got the Dallas Trinity here, the women's club. We've got some lower level sides here in town too. "As much as we love the game this time of year and every four years, let's go ahead and bring this energy to the local game. "Go out and support your local club, because that's how the game grows." From door knocking to sell-out crowds Seeing cowboy country become a football field of dreams is a big source of pride for Kenny Cooper. He is a legend of the local football scene here, having played for FC Dallas in the MLS. His father, Kenny Cooper senior, emigrated from England to the US in the 70s to play for the Dallas Tornados. "He used to knock on doors to get people to come out to games," Cooper Jr said. "My father was part of a generation of players who planted a lot of seeds. "They coached locally, a lot of them stayed here. They worked really hard to grow the game. They were true ambassadors of the game. "And here we are 50 years later and the game's alive and thriving. And it's just beautiful to see and to be a part of." Cooper said having the World Cup here is a galvanising force for the community. "Seeing how many people are out here is a testament to just how welcoming our city is, how much people love the game," he said. "And the best part about this game is that it gathers people in [their] community. "And the World Cup presents so many opportunities to do that, to be with each other, to celebrate each other, celebrate diversity, celebrate the beautiful game." Oranje wash Across town at Henk's European Deli & Black Forest Bakery, it is a sea of orange as Dutch fans have their own pre-match party. Among them are four generations of one Texan family, including matriarch Lottie, who is originally from the Netherlands. "I'm an American citizen now, but in my heart I'm Dutch," she said. Her daughter, Sandra, says football has always been a big part of her family's life. "Even though we're here in the United States, [my parents] still try to keep the Dutch culture — football being one of it," she said. "I've always wanted to go to one of the games and we've just never been able to. "And now that it's here, I told my mum and my family, 'We're going.'" Lottie's granddaughter, Lindsay, is just as excited to support the Oranje. "There's not a lot of Dutch culture around Keller, Texas, where I live," she said. "So it's great to have this opportunity where we can actually be a part of something that is a part of my culture and my family." While Japan and the Netherlands take centre stage first, England, Croatia, Argentina, and Austria will all get their turn to take in Dallas in the group stage. Will you be in North America for the FIFA World Cup? We want to hear from you