The world is buzzing with the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Football, or Soccer, is on everyone’s TV screens and news feeds. Our Socceroos are out (after a fantastic effort!!), so to keep your temper cool we’ve got some facts about the monumental air conditioning systems in these stadiums.
Dallas, Texas – AT&T Stadium
The final stadium our boys in green and gold saw against Egypt, AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The climate of Texas is often compared to what we know well here in QLD, sweltering summers although with less rain and flooding! When you got up to watch the game at 4am you would be excused from noticing it’s state-of-the-art climate control system.
The stadium features an entirely retractable roof, encapsulating the ground and seats to maximise it’s powerful air-conditioning system. In our recent article on tips for keeping cool, we highlighted the impact closing up your house can have on keeping cool. While a football stadium is much bigger than your living room, the same principle applies. This means everyone in the stadium stays nice and cool even in the Texan summer heat.
Houston, Texas – NRG Stadium
Another football stadium in Texas boasting a huge air conditioning system is NRG Stadium in Houston. Similar to it’s counterpart in Dallas, it also features a full retractable roof to really keep in the cool. This roof is completely made of fabric and controlled by a computer that gives live feedback to the technician, allowing the entire roof to be opened or closed in 7 minutes!
While the stadium has hosted 7 matches in the world cup, it is also very versatile. It hosts everything from rodeos to concerts. Yeehaw!
Atlanta, Georgia – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
The roof on Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta is perhaps the most interesting, forming a “pin-wheel”. It has 8 triangular segments that come together creating a hole in the middle of the roof. It really is quite spectacular, and when opened the panels are meant to represent the illusion of a bird’s wings. Very soaring eagle American! Like the other stadiums on this list, this unique roof design can be fully closed to keep that stadium at a comfortable stadium for patrons and players.
There is still an upcoming game in the world cup at this stadium, Norway vs England. See if you can catch a glimpse of the roof during the Norwegian teams signature rowing!