The Cotton Bowl is an outdoor stadium in Dallas, Texas, located within the historic Fair Park complex. Opened in 1930 as Fair Park Stadium, it was renamed in 1936 for the Cotton Bowl Classic, the annual college football bowl game that called it home for over seven decades. Nicknamed “The House That Doak Built” after SMU star Doak Walker, the venue has grown from a modest bowl into one of the largest stadiums in the United States.
Over its long history, the Cotton Bowl has served as home field for the Dallas Cowboys (1960-1971), the SMU Mustangs, the AFL’s Dallas Texans, and MLS side FC Dallas. It also hosted six matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup and a 2020 NHL Winter Classic. Following a 2008 renovation that brought capacity to 92,100, and a $140 million upgrade announced in 2023, the stadium continues to serve Dallas as home to Dallas Trinity FC and the annual Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Dallas Trinity FC; historically Dallas Cowboys, SMU Mustangs, Dallas Texans
- Location: Fair Park, Dallas, Texas
- Opened: 1930 (as Fair Park Stadium)
- Capacity: About 92,100
- Renamed: 1936, after the Cotton Bowl Classic
- Notable event: Hosted 6 matches of the 1994 FIFA World Cup
The Ride Experience
Fans at the Cotton Bowl sit in one of college football’s most storied bowls, best known for the annual Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma, split evenly down the middle each October during the State Fair of Texas. The stadium’s massive seating bowl, expanded to over 92,000 seats in a 2008 renovation, still preserves the atmosphere of its Depression-era origins, with sightlines that put fans close to the action despite the venue’s size.
A Storied Past
Before the Dallas Cowboys moved to Texas Stadium in 1971, the Cotton Bowl was their home field, and it also hosted the AFL’s Dallas Texans and decades of the Cotton Bowl Classic, a top-tier postseason bowl game from 1937 to 2009. The venue’s global reach came into focus in 1994, when it hosted six World Cup matches, and again in 2020, when the NHL staged its Winter Classic there between the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators.
Explore more: Explore more legendary stadiums.
Cotton Bowl FAQs
Is the Cotton Bowl still in use today?
Yes. The Cotton Bowl remains active, hosting the Red River Rivalry college football game, Dallas Trinity FC of the USL Super League, and other events at Fair Park.
Why is it called the Cotton Bowl?
The stadium opened in 1930 as Fair Park Stadium and was renamed the Cotton Bowl in 1936 to align with the newly created Cotton Bowl Classic college football game.
Did the Dallas Cowboys ever play at the Cotton Bowl?
Yes, the Dallas Cowboys played their home games at the Cotton Bowl from 1960 to 1971 before moving to Texas Stadium in Irving.
Get More from Cotton Bowl
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Cotton Bowl, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Photo: Michael Barera / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.