Traffic in North Texas may slow to a snail’s pace as many visitors, combined with daily travelers, hit the road during the FIFA World Cup.
With nine games, a fan festival and the International Broadcast Center being hosted in Dallas-Fort Worth, transportation officials estimate that over a million additional people will be in the region. Traffic may be more congested around Arlington’s AT&T Stadium, where the games will be hosted.
The first soccer match at the stadium, renamed Dallas Stadium for the duration of the World Cup, starts at 3 p.m. and is between Japan and the Netherlands. Officials have urged fans to arrive at least 60 to 90 minutes before kickoff and buy a parking pass no later than 24 hours prior to each game.
Weather may also play a role in slow commutes before and after the game, with scattered rain expected throughout North Texas.
Worried about traffic as the FIFA World Cup starts? Here’s what roads are looking like as of 4 p.m. Sunday:
Interstate 30 is the east-west route between Dallas and Arlington and is the main highway heading toward Dallas Stadium.
A crash also closed all westbound lanes of I-30 at State Highway 161 on Sunday afternoon, according to Texas Department of Transportation traffic cameras. As of 4 p.m., the lanes had been reopened, the cameras show.
Farther east, near Fate, an accident was reported around 9:30 a.m. on I-30 westbound near Blackland Road. The accident involved a jack-knifed trailer.
Though the TXDOT traffic map still shows an active incident near Blackland, traffic appears to be moving smoothly as of 4:05 p.m., according to the camera footage.
Interstate 20 is currently clear. This interstate provides access to Arlington from communities south of Dallas and Fort Worth and is an alternative route to I-30.
Other routes leading to the stadium and around Arlington that may see increased traffic include State Highway 183, State Highway 360, State Highway 114 and President George Bush Turnpike.