SouthernWorldwide.com – Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer has voiced his dissatisfaction with the temporary modifications made to AT&T Stadium for the World Cup, stating that they detract from the venue’s “majestic” atmosphere.
The iconic stadium, home to the Cowboys for the past 17 seasons, has been renamed Dallas Stadium for the duration of the World Cup matches it is hosting.
Significant alterations have been made to accommodate the soccer tournament. The familiar end zones, yard markers, and artificial turf have been replaced with natural grass for the matches.
However, it was the installation of curtains to block the stadium’s natural sunlight that drew Schottenheimer’s criticism.
“I’m a big… actually World Cup guy. I watch a lot of the games. It’s been cool for me,” Schottenheimer told reporters during a recent press conference.
He added, “I’ve been out by The Star watching the watch parties and stuff that people have had. It sounds like they had the blinders up… the shades.”
Schottenheimer believes these changes diminish the experience for fans. “So it’s majestic as it is when we are playing our games. The grass and the shades, it’s not as majestic. They’re going to miss the experience,” he stated.
The issue of sunlight glare at AT&T Stadium is not new. It has been a recurring concern since the stadium opened in 2009, often affecting players during Cowboys games.
In a 2017 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Cowboys receivers Dez Bryant and Brice Butler reportedly blamed the sun’s glare for dropped passes.
A few years later, during a 2021 playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, wide receiver Cedrick Wilson appeared to miss a pass due to the glare.
The following year, Michael Gallup also failed to catch a potential touchdown pass, a situation again attributed to the sun’s glare.
Schottenheimer himself had previously commented on the sunlight’s effect during his first season as head coach in October 2025, sarcastically referring to it as “majestic.”
“Well, I’ve been here for a little while, and I’ve heard about it,” Schottenheimer said at the time, as reported by the Associated Press.
“Hey, look, if you guys could see the process and the plan we have in place to figure it out. We have satellite imaging. We have pictures of the sun, when it’s coming down. There’s a big plan and process,” he explained.
He continued, “But I think when you look at historically at what’s happened it really hasn’t affected many situations. We plan for it. The opponents plan for it. But at the end of the day, it’s something that we’re aware of. It’s very beautiful. It’s majestic when the sun comes through there.”
AT&T Stadium hosted its inaugural World Cup match on June 14, featuring a 1-1 draw between the Netherlands and Japan.
The venue, often referred to as “Jerry World” after longtime Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, held its second tournament match on Wednesday, where England secured a 4-2 victory over Croatia.
The controversial curtains were in place for both of these matches and are expected to remain for the upcoming game on June 22, featuring Lionel Messi and the reigning World Cup champion Argentina against Austria.
