FC Dallas opened its 2022 season Saturday with a 1-1 draw against Toronto FC. Temperatures at Toyota Stadium in Frisco were in the 30s, but the match drew an attendance of 12,233.
President Dan Hunt says he expects strong attendance this year with a more competitive club than 2021.
"This is an exciting new era at FC Dallas: a new coaching staff, new players," he says. "We still had a great attendance last year even though we had restrictions at different points. People are so excited to come back out and sample FC Dallas again. Our passionate fans are so excited to be here and bring the energy inside the stadium."
In turn, Hunt says strong attendance and interest in the club will bring more fans to the area and generate additional sales for restaurants, bars and shops near Toyota Stadium. He says fans will notice continued growth in the area near the stadium, George A. Purefoy Municipal Center and Frisco Square.
"My father, Lamar, had always said we were a little bit early in Frisco when we built the stadium, but we had a community that was willing to commit to what we were going to do here and build a first class facility," he says.
Hunt says growing interest in the club can also help North Texas' bid to host the World Cup semi-finals or finals in 2026. As North Texas grows as an international destination, he says the World Cup could benefit by introducing soccer to a new generation of fans from a diverse background.
"We've been a big beneficiary of World Cups, and can you imagine what bringing the 2026 World Cup to the Metroplex could do for soccer?" he says. "I think it's limitless."
Hunt chairs the Dallas 2026 Committee. In October, representatives from FIFA and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football visited potential sites in North Texas that could host elimination games or even the finals.
Hunt says the area already has the infrastructure for the competition, saying Toyota Stadium, the Cotton Bowl in Dallas and AT&T Stadium in Arlington are all established venues.
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