Fort Worth Stockyards round up 1.8M visitors during World Cup, officials say

by David Moreno, Fort Worth Report
July 27, 2026

As international tourists explored North Texas during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, one Fort Worth landmark rounded up a record-breaking number of travelers. 

The Fort Worth Stockyards drew more than 1.8 million visitors during the 39-day soccer tournament, according to district officials. The area saw roughly 974,200 visitors during the same period last year. 

Cowtown Coliseum sold 55,000 rodeo tickets during the World Cup — the most in its 118-year history. The historic venue regularly hosts competitions, including barrel racing, bull riding and team roping. 

Attendance for the twice-daily cattle drive also jumped by 36%. 

Ethan Cartwright, senior vice president of marketing for Stockyards Heritage Development, said that the heat normally makes summer months the district's “quietest stretch of the year,†but World Cup visitors flipped that script. 

“From our daily longhorn cattle drives to the vibrant energy throughout Mule Alley, seeing global soccer culture blend with iconic Texas traditions turned our off-season into record-breaking momentum for the entire historic district,†he said in a statement. 

The jump in foot traffic was boosted by Visit Fort Worth's Howdy World branding visible throughout the Stockyards and other key tourist areas, including the Near Southside and Cultural District. 

Tom Martens, vice president of creative, film and music at Visit Fort Worth, previously said the goal during the World Cup was to make Cowtown “the most Texas city in Texas.â€

East Exchange Avenue closed to vehicles during the tournament to protect large crowds of pedestrians. Some visitors from Colombia, Brazil and Singapore said the Stockyards looked like a movie spotlighting Western culture. 

The historic district also saw a royal visitor when Japan's Princess Takamado toured Hotel Drover and Cowtown Coliseum. Arena general manager Tim Long escorted the princess to her first Fort Worth rodeo where she learned about competitions, according to PaperCity Magazine. 

David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org. The Report's arts and culture coverage is supported in part by the Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation and the Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust.

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