Fans customize charm bracelets at the Bank of America booth at FIFA Fan Festival in Fair Park on Thursday.
Lola Jahant
Fans waited in line for up to three hours Thursday to score free bracelets at the FIFA Fan Festival in Fair Park.
The bracelets, that can be customized with a series of designs, have gone viral on social media.
Bank of America, the official bank sponsor of the 2026 World Cup, sponsored the free “Fan Bands.” Starting June 11, bank officials said 2 million bracelets have been distributed at World Cup host cities, including Dallas.
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Fans can customize their charm bracelet with red, blue or black bands and more than 140 custom beads. The charms range from country flags, soccer emblems, numbers and custom beads from the host city’s landmarks.
In Fair Park, fans can customize their bracelets with Dallas-specific charms such as a cowboy hat and longhorn.
Jennifer Chandler, president of Bank of America Dallas, said the partnership with FIFA has been in the works for about a year. The idea for the bracelets, she said, stemmed from wanting to provide a keepsake to those who were not able to attend a match, and providing them a way to have a memento.
“How do we make sure that there’s something tangible as people are either attending the match or attending the Fan Fest to have something to remember this incredible experience by?” Chandler said.
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Due to the high demand and long lines, Bank of America created a new wristband system where fans reserve a time to create their band.
Mario Garcia, senior experiential manager at Octagon, said the new time system began at Dallas Fan Festival on June 21, and they have been passing out bracelets as late as midnight. Octagon is assisting in planning Fan Festival experiences.
“Honestly, when I signed up for this I did not expect it to be this crazy,” Garcia said. “It’s just a blessing from a sports marketing perspective, not only making peoples’ days, but helping people and other countries … and using sports, specifically a bracelet, to connect the world.”
Emilio Munoz, 22, said he traveled from San Antonio to experience the “World Cup atmosphere.” He waited in line with friends for two hours after hearing about the bracelets on social media.
“It’s a cool piece of memorabilia that I feel like in a few years will be so important,” Munoz said.
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On social media, some fans said they’ve gotten bracelets directly from Bank of America locations near Dallas Stadium to avoid the lines.
Noelle LeVeaux, chief marketing officer for the North Texas Host City Organizing Committee, wanted the bracelets to reflect Dallas.
“I love that they’re taking a whole life of their own and that fans are getting an opportunity to have something that’s such a special piece of memorabilia, but also where they have this great experience and this core memory that’s been built for families and visitors,” LeVeaux said.
Avoiding bootleg merch
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement warned fans of buying counterfeit merchandise at the FIFA World Cup.
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To avoid buying counterfeit merchandise, officials recommend shoppers shop at trusted storefronts and websites, look out for poor quality, check online bank statements and buy tickets and merchandise from authorized dealers.
For the bracelets, Garcia said the fan festival and Dallas Stadium are the only two locations where fans should go to ensure they are getting a legitimate product. While customizable bracelets are available at Fan Festival, pre-made bracelets are also offered at Dallas Stadium.
“Every year, major international sporting events attract bad actors who attempt to cash in by selling fake jerseys, hats, tickets and memorabilia,” said ICE Deputy Director Charles Wall in a statement. “These counterfeit goods are often marketed online and in person, preying on fan enthusiasm and making it difficult to identify authentic products from fraudulent ones.”