The World Cup field will be finalized Tuesday, and North Texas soccer fans will finally learn the last group stage matchup being played at AT&T Stadium, as well as the two teams who will make their base camps here throughout the monthlong tournament.
Four of the matches being played in Arlington were revealed in December by FIFA, soccer’s world governing body. The fifth would pit Japan against one of the playoff winners to be determined.
Well, that determination comes Tuesday when Poland and Sweden face off at 1:45 p.m. Central in Stockholm. The winner will get the final spot in World Cup Group F and will face Japan in the group stage at 6 p.m. June 25 at AT&T Stadium, known as Dallas Stadium for the World Cup because of FIFA sponsorship policies.
Two North Texas base camps to be determined
Not only that, but the Poland-Sweden winner will also make its base camp at Toyota Stadium, home of FC Dallas, during the tournament. Base camps serve as the “primary training and operational headquarters for participating teams throughout the tournament,” organizers have said.
Another team making its base camp in North Texas will also be determined Tuesday when the Czech Republic and Denmark play at 1:45 p.m. in Prague.
The winner will train at the new Mansfield Stadium, future home of the North Texas Soccer Club, during the World Cup.
The World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 at sites in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
In addition to the five group stage matches, AT&T Stadium will host four matches in the knockout round, including a semifinal.
Here is the schedule of group stage matches at AT&T Stadium:
June 14: Netherlands vs. Japan (Group F), 3 p.m.
June 17: England vs. Croatia (Group L), 3 p.m.
June 22: Argentina vs. Austria (Group J), noon
June 25: Japan vs. Poland/Sweden (Group F), 6 p.m.
June 27: Argentina vs. Jordan (Group J), 9 p.m.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Jim Barnes is the Star-Telegram’s sports editor. A Fort Worth native and graduate of Castleberry High School, he returned to Texas after 13 years at the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He previously was sports editor of the Waco Tribune-Herald and a freelance high school sports reporter for The Dallas Morning News.