The only 5K built around the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first one on U.S. soil since 1994. Dallas is hosting more matches than any other city — nine of them, including the semifinal on July 14. And eleven days before the whole thing kicks off, there’s a 5K built around the lead-up to it.
This week on DFW Running Talk, I sat down with Cindy Solomon of the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee and Eric Lindberg of On Your Left Marketing & Events to talk about the Countdown to the Cup 5K at The Sound at Cypress Waters in Dallas.
What you need to know about the race
Eric and Cindy started planning this thing a year ago. The idea: a community-first event that welcomes serious runners chasing a PR, walkers, families with strollers, and soccer fans who just want to be part of something bigger.
A few things that stood out from our conversation:
The medal is the medal. It’s shaped like the World Cup with the Dallas FIFA logo on it. As Eric put it, there are two ways to win the World Cup — start training as a striker now, or come run the Countdown to the Cup.
The course is brand new. USATF certified, downhill finish, tree-lined, with the lake and Cypress Waters artwork in view as you cross the line. Eric says everyone PRs because no one’s run it before.
Age group awards are next-level. Acrylics with a soccer ball embedded inside. Overall and Masters winners get the official Dallas World Cup ball — only host city that has its own.
There’s a virtual option and it’s blowing up. People in Houston are signing up because their organizing committee isn’t doing a 5K. (Cindy’s words, more or less.)
The after-party is at the Flying Saucer right next to the finish, with sponsors like Andretti Racing, Powerade, Michelob Ultra Zero, and Seek AR on site.
The bigger picture
What I didn’t expect from this conversation was how much the Organizing Committee is doing beyond the 5K. Cindy walked through:
The FIFA Fan Festival at Fair Park — free and open to the public, running the entire World Cup, 96 of 104 matches shown live across two stages, food, mascots, drumlines, the works. You just need to register at dallasfwc26.com for a free ticket.
The Unity Cup — a 5v5 youth soccer tournament for 8–12 year olds on June 6.
26 mini pitches going into underserved North Texas communities (26 because it’s 2026).
A coaches and referees symposium, legacy programming, and community engagement spanning all 134 cities that make up the North Texas footprint.
Cindy also shared the story of how she got this role — she pitched Monica Paul back in 2022 with no idea what World Cup work in Dallas would even look like, and Monica kept her resume in a folder on her desk for years. That part hit.
Why this one matters for runners
Eric made a point I think gets lost: because of the World Cup pulling so many city resources, most major DFW running events June through July had to move their dates. This 5K is one of the last opportunities to be part of a mega event in DFW before things go quiet for the summer.
World Cups don’t come around often. The last one in the U.S. was 32 years ago. If you’re going to run something this year, this is the one to put on the calendar.
The details
When: Saturday, May 30, 2026, 8:30 AM start
Where: The Sound at Cypress Waters, Dallas
Pricing: Adults $60 / Youth (12 & under) $30
Discount: Code DFWRG for 15% off
Virtual option: Yes — shirt and medal mailed
Packet pickup: Five locations across DFW, May 23–29 (Flying Saucer at Cypress Waters and Fleet Feet Frisco, Richardson, Dallas)
See you at the start line.
— Chris
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