DALLAS — In a city best known for its football traditions, Dallas is looking to use one of its biggest annual events — the State Fair of Texas — to help elevate one of its newest professional sports teams.

Dallas Trinity FC, the city’s women’s professional soccer team, is set to take on Club América Femenil in the inaugural State Fair of Texas Clásico at the Cotton Bowl Stadium on Oct. 18.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, the match is part of a broader effort to grow the sport’s presence in North Texas. 

Midfielder Lexi Missimo, a University of Texas at Austin graduate who holds multiple program records, said she’s proud to see professional women’s soccer expanding in her home state.

Missimo grew up in North Texas and joined Dallas Trinity after finishing her college career in Austin.

“And I grew up here, so there wasn’t a pro team when I was going through college,” she said.

The city of Dallas has been working to attract and retain professional sports organizations, and officials hope the high-profile women’s match will further that mission. 

The Cotton Bowl, which is already the home for Dallas Trinity FC, will serve as the backdrop for the new event.

“I mean, it’s a signature landmark, and it’s awesome. It’s so fun,” Missimo said of playing inside the stadium.

Fans who buy tickets to the match will also receive admission to the fairgrounds, offering a full day of soccer and State Fair experiences. 

For Missimo, who grew up attending the fair with her family, it’s a moment that feels especially meaningful.

“It’s like a given. This is something me and my family really love to do. I mean, how could you not like it?” she said.

The game will kick off at 4 p.m. 

A Dallas Muslim Community leader in immigration detention is now facing accusations of supporting a terrorist group.

Marouf was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last month after dropping his youngest son off at school. He was arrested for allegedly overstaying a visa and not having a valid visa or travel documentation.

Now, Marouf is accused of soliciting funds or things of value for a terrorist organization, his lawyer said.

The new allegations stem from Marouf’s donations to the Holy Land Foundation, a now-defunct charity that was declared a terrorist organization in 2001.

Marium Uddin, Marouf’s attorney with the Muslim Legal Fund of America, argued the government’s case relies heavily on old information.

“Third time’s the charm for the government, and that’s the crossroads we find ourselves at today,” Uddin said after a hearing Thursday. “Decades-old repurposed allegations are haunting Brother Marwan and maligning his good name.”

At the time of his arrest, Marouf was notified of the denial of his five-years long pending permanent residency application, his lawyer said. He’s been held at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas, more than 200 miles west of Dallas, since his arrest.

The new claims were brought minutes before Marouf’s hearing Thursday, according to Uddin. This comes after Marouf was denied bond earlier this month.

Uddin added that Marouf suffers from Brugada syndrome, a cardiac condition that can lead to sudden death.

Marouf’s legal team sees the case as a part of a larger pattern of Muslims being targeted across the country, and linked it to larger efforts by the Trump administration to ramp up deportations.

“If I use the words ‘shame’ and ‘despicable’ they would not accurately or comprehensively capture the position we find ourselves in today,” Uddin said. “As Marwan sits in his 24th day of detention, with an extremely critical illness that can lead to sudden cardiac death, the government is playing games with us.”

Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is KERA’s breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Emmanuel at erivas@kera.org.

KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.

Two transplants from New York to North Texas — who happen to be editors at The Dallas Morning News — visited the State Fair of Texas to see if the Most Texan Place on Earth really is a big deal.

Bobby Caina Calvan, deputy government accountability editor, and business editor Javier E. David explored the State Fair. Here’s what they saw, felt and ate.

Business editor Javier E. David

A Brooklyn resident for nearly 30 years, Javier grew up on Long Island, went to high school in Miami and attended Long Island University. He moved to Dallas in 2024.

The word “nostalgia” means a lot of things to a lot of people, but it’s the perfect way to describe the State Fair. That’s what it triggered for me as I navigated the excited crowds, bright lights, gravity-defying rides, fried foods with enough calories to make a cardiologist swoon — and of course Big Tex.

Let’s face it: If you’ve been to one amusement park, you’ve been to them all, and with a few notable exceptions, the grub and mechanized distractions are mostly mirror images of multiple other locations — regardless of which one you’re in.

And yet, I found myself captivated by the State Fair’s vibe, even though I really don’t like crowds, and it wasn’t long before I realized why.

The color, the noise, the playfulness and promise of a good time for all. …It was very reminiscent of my childhood spent in local fairs and amusement parks. The preponderance of adults also reminded me of the environment one finds in the middle of a certain desert city in a certain Western State. Yes, the State Fair of Texas really is equal parts Disney and Las Vegas.

Gripes about the event have certainly gotten a lot of attention, and rightfully so. Even if you are comped the price of admission, a day at the fair will still cost a LOT of money. Tickets for all that food and entertainment really adds up, and it’s hard to justify the expense in an era when all of us are feeling the pinch of inflation on our wallets.

Related

Visits to the State Fair will probably involve raiding the virtual piggy bank, but it’s hard to deny that if you do decide to go, and if you decide it’s worth spending the money, you will undoubtedly have a good time. This old curmudgeon certainly did.

Bobby Caina Calvan, deputy government accountability editor

Bobby Caina Calvan, relocated to Dallas after working several years for the Associated Press, based in their New York office.

I last visited a state fair decades ago in California’s capital of Sacramento. Before that it was maybe a decade earlier in my home state of Hawaii.

Truth be told, I’m not a fan of crowds and icky-sticky cotton candy. Carnival food is not my “thang.”

… Unless it’s a corn dog — although just hours earlier, I was gently and ribbingly chided when I mistakenly referred to a CORNY dog a mere corn dog.

To my surprise, a corny dog is like no other. Throwing my caution against superlatives to the wind, I dare say it was the best corn breaded hot dog on a stick I’ve had.

Maybe I should have also searched for a crab and mozzarella arancini, which got the Big Tex award for savory bites.

I moseyed over to a cotton candy stand and talked the nice woman into giving me several extra swirls of wispy sugar. It was sweet delight at first; but soon my body shuddered mildly. There is such a thing as too much.

My colleague is absolutely right: The State Fair, when you’re a grownup, is all about nostalgia – from corny dogs, cotton candy, and the midway — where a sucker is born every minute.

A Ferris wheel ride for $16, and the pocket-emptying games that must be rigged, right? I thought so until I won a teddy bear by popping three consecutive balloons. My luck at sinking basketballs, even with my perfect shooting form, netted me zilch.

Related

On a Tuesday night, the crowds were relatively sparse. There were lines here and there, including at the Ferris wheel, where you could hear a grumble or two, as well as the faint sounds of fairgoers coughing up their bucks. At $16 a ride, even ole’ Big Tex might have second thoughts. The sky tram has fewer people in line and gives you a grand view of the fairgrounds.

This curmudgeon is also no fan of carnival rides, but I gave in to nostalgia when I trudged (OK, wheezed) up a metal stairwell to breeze down the Fast Trax Slide, an eight-lane chute.

There is a lot to take in at the fair — certainly too much for a single visit. There are farm exhibits, a petting zoo and agricultural displays.

But before the fair ends, I hope to take in my first Texas rodeo. More importantly, I need to get myself to the pig races.

Forget the rides, games and cotton candy (I’ll keep the corny dogs, thank you) — but what can be more amusing than watching piglets race around a track?

Rodeo and pig races — you won’t find either in New York City. A state fair can’t be any more Texas than that!

Dallas Trinity FC aims for largest crowd in team history vs. Club America at State Fair

With an estimated 125,000 fairgoers expected that day, DTFC co-founder and CEO Jim Neil sees a golden opportunity to draw new supporters and amplify the team’s growing momentum.

Advertisement

The heart at Gate 5: Meet the woman who’s greeted State Fair goers for 35 years

Faye Thomas from South Dallas has worked Gate 5 at the State Fair of Texas scanning tickets and welcoming families with a smile

Letters to the Editor — Closed primaries, Dallas City Hall, renewable energy, State Fair

Readers don’t support closed primaries; advocate to repair, not destroy Dallas City Hall; support renewable energy; and talk about State Fair prices.

A food guide for the 2025 State Fair of Texas

Want to eat well at the fair? Here’s everything you need to know.