The biggest sporting event on the planet arrives this week, and for Texomans the 2026 FIFA World Cup is closer than it has ever been.
The United States begins Group D play Friday against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. In the American midfield will be a North Texan: Weston McKennie, the Juventus veteran who grew up in Little Elm and came up through the FC Dallas academy before making his name in Europe. McKennie has 64 caps and 12 goals for the United States, won the 2020 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award, and is playing in his second World Cup.
For Sherman fans who want to see the tournament in person, the closest gateway is AT&T Stadium in Arlington, which hosts nine matches between June 14 and July 14, the most of any venue, including a semifinal. The American group schedule continues June 19 in Seattle and June 25 in Los Angeles against Australia and Turkiye.
It is the first men's World Cup played in the United States since 1994, when McKennie had not yet been born.
For the full story of McKennie's path from Little Elm to Juventus and the national team, read the hometown feature at our sister publication LittleElm.city.