With millions of visitors expected in North Texas during the FIFA World Cup, researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington will conduct a field experiment to measure how large crowds, increased traffic and more flights affect the air quality around AT&T Stadium.
Yunyao Li, UT Arlington assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences and director of the Atmospheric Intelligence & Modeling Lab, is leading the project. Researchers will deploy environmental sensors to continuously monitor conditions before, during and after matches within a two-mile radius of the stadium. The team also has sensors around DFW International Airport and will utilize data collected from NASA satellites to understand how air and weather conditions change during large-scale events.
The Dallas–Fort Worth region is known for having stronger winds than many other metropolitan areas, Dr. Li said, which could influence how air pollution disperses. The team will also examine how conditions differ on rainy and sunny days.
"The research focuses on understanding the environmental response to large-scale human activity," Li said. "This sudden population influx during the World Cup will, of course, increase traffic, flight activity and vehicle emissions. We want to see how much the environmental stress increases in this area, how quickly these changes occur and how quickly they disappear after the event."
The sensors are box-like solar-powered units placed on rooftops and connected through cellular signals, allowing researchers to access real-time data remotely. They measure particulate matter, ozone, wind, humidity and temperature.
The project, funded by UTA's College of Science and conducted in collaboration with the North Central Texas Council of Governments and the city of Arlington, aims to achieve two primary goals:
- Strengthen environmental monitoring around AT&T Stadium and explore regional environmental resilience across North Texas. The effort will help researchers understand how large-scale events may temporarily disrupt or influence local environmental conditions.
- Generate insights that could inform future events and urban planning.
The goal, Li said, is to identify the best ways to achieve clean air while supporting continued development.
"In the past, when people talked about air quality, they often thought we needed to stop development to achieve clean air. However, we don't want to do that," Li said. "We want to find an equilibrium between development and clean air—essentially, a path toward sustainable development. This means not limiting economic activity for air quality, but supporting a balance where economic activity and environmental health coexist. These events, where many people gather, can give us insight into future conditions as the Dallas–Fort Worth area continues to grow, including potential air pollution trends."
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth. With a student body of over 42,700, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation's top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.
