Czechia National Team takes the field at Mansfield Stadium

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

When the Czechia National Team ran onto the pitch Saturday morning, they became the first squad to play at the new Texas Health Mansfield Stadium.

Visitors parked in muddy lots and waded through rain-soaked fields to see the first practice at the $85 million city-owned stadium at 3405 Stadium Drive, off Texas 360 and Lone Star Road.

The Czechia team will use the brand-new facility as a home base for practices while in town for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Saturday morning’s practice session was the only one open to the public.

“It’s monumental,” said Matt Denny, general manager and vice president of North Texas Soccer, which will call Mansfield Stadium home starting July 4. “All the work that it has taken for a World Cup team to be the first ones on the field puts Mansfield on the map.

“And having fans in the building and sharing it with the community is the genesis of this whole thing,” he said.

Several hundred people attended the open practice, which required winning tickets in a lottery. For most it was their first look at the stadium and at a World Cup team.

“There’s not many communities that get to experience this,” said Bart McKay, who drove up from Waco for the practice. “This is pretty cool.

McKay, a longtime fan of the English Fulham FC soccer team, will be volunteering at the FIFA World Cup and has tickets for four games.

“A number of these players play for English clubs,” he said. “They are household names. This will be my only chance to see them.”

Dallas resident Albert Chytil was born in Czechoslavakia (now Czechia) and brought a Czechia flag to the practice.

“To have them here in Mansfield, so close, to see them, to see the flag,” he said. “I’ve been so far removed. I came here when I was 10. I’m 47.”

Chytil’s 11-year-old son, Alex, had a more practical reason for attending – getting tips from the World Cup players.

“I just want to see them practice,” he said. “I’m going to record them so I can get tips on passing, shooting and dribbling.”

The multi-use soccer stadium is a public-private partnership, owned by the city and operated by REV Entertainment. North Texas Soccer Club, the MLS NEXT Pro affiliate of FC Dallas, will play their home games at Mansfield Stadium, starting July 4.

The 200,000-square-foot stadium has 7,000-plus fixed seats, four locker rooms, suites, lounges and a club space. The stadium will be the centerpiece of the Staybolt Street Entertainment District, which broke ground in August 2024.

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