Cowboys told to deal with it - World Cup gets curtains at AT&T Stadium
The frustration continues for Dallas Cowboys fans as FIFA gets the long sought over curtains in Jerry World, while the owner refuses to help his own team.
For years, Dallas Cowboys players and fans have been complaining about the unusual orientation of AT&T Stadium, which is built on a southwest-northeast axis, rather than the typical north-south alignment of most other NFL stadiums. Why? Because the gigantic glass windows on the west side of the stadium cause the sunlight to come in and blind the players during late-afternoon games, impacting games, frustrating players, and quite literally costing the team on the field. And for years, they’ve been told to just deal with it.
That is, until now. Because suddenly, when the FIFA World Cup comes to town, the problem is getting fixed.
The unfixable problem - unless it’s Taylor Swift, boxing, or soccer
During this summer’s World Cup matches, including a June 25 game between Japan and Sweden, kicking off at 6 p.m., AT&T Stadium will close its curtains to block sunlight, the exact solution Cowboys players have been asking for.
AT&T Stadium will put curtains on the windows during FIFA World Cup matches pic.twitter.com/hbDgzEdUiC
— Dallas Texas TV (@DallasTexasTV) May 22, 2026
The most glaring recent example came in 2024, when wide receiver CeeDee Lamb lost a ball in the sunlight during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. His reaction afterward said it all.
“I couldn’t see the ball… couldn’t see the ball, at all. The sun [was in the way].”
When asked if curtains would help? “Yes. One thousand percent.”
That was the star receiver flat-out saying the stadium is working against him. But Jerry didn’t exactly show urgency when the issue was raised.
His now-infamous response in 2024:
“We know where the sun is going to be when we flip the coin… let’s just tear the damn stadium down and build another one. Are you kidding me?”
"Well let's tear the damn stadium down and build another one."
— WFAA (@wfaa) November 11, 2024
Jerry Jones responded sarcastically when asked about the sun causing Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb to miss a wide open touchdown catch.
Full postgame update: https://t.co/bQ1IDypgy1 pic.twitter.com/AwlBbdp3Nr
Jerry’s dismissive, sarcastic tone hits a nerve because clearly, the solution wasn’t impossible. It just wasn’t important enough to him. And it’s not just the Cowboys dealing with it, but that’s exactly the point. Why is this still a shared disadvantage in a billion-dollar stadium?
NFL players at AT&T Stadium have to deal with the sun. Soccer players in the World Cup won't. pic.twitter.com/nZYKF0GTa6
— PFT Live (@PFT_Live) May 21, 2026
Even more frustrating perhaps is that this isn’t even the first time curtains have been used. They’ve been deployed for major non-NFL events, including concerts like Taylor Swift and the 2024 fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson. So the technology and solution exists. It’s just never been prioritized for Cowboys games.
Related stories
Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.
Complete your personal details to comment