FIFA Fan Fest is coming and parking prices may surprise you

FIFA World Cup 2026 is about a month away and the FIFA Fan Festival at Fair Park is expected to be one of the biggest draws for soccer fans coming to Dallas from around the globe.

The event features live match broadcasts, concerts and other events from June 11 to July 19. With crowds expected throughout the monthlong celebration, parking on private property around Fair Park could reach prices unlike what many visitors have seen before.

Nathan Jones, a South Dallas homeowner licensed by the city, offers 10 parking spots in his backyard.

He said the price depends on the special event happening at Fair Park. For the State Fair of Texas, Jones said he can charge about $30. For Texas-OU weekend, he can charge up to $100. Jones said he expects to charge up to $250 per spot during FIFA Fan Fest.

“Since it’s a month-long, that’s a month worth of parking versus us having to wait until the weekend to make our money,” Jones said. “We can make money throughout the week, so hopefully we can capitalize.”

The city of Dallas is allowing private property owners in the Fair Park designated parking area to apply for a $100 license and charge motorists up to 150% of that fee. That means the maximum parking price would top out at $250 per vehicle.

Zach Thompson, who owns Southside Parking, said the setup can benefit both the city and South Dallas property owners.

“We provide a safer parking opportunity than what you find a lot of times inside Fair Park,” Thompson said. “We stay with the vehicles, we monitor them, we make sure that there is no issue.”

Thompson said visitors should make sure they are parking in a permitted lot.

“Let me be real clear … they gotta be careful, if you try to park on the street or take you on the back streets,” Thompson said. “They’re not permitted. Only the permitted parking lots are in the Fair Park grounds.”

FIFA parking license holders must apply by June 3 and pay the $100 license fee.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.