Celina's youth fields are full on any given weekend, and this summer those kids have a World Cup to watch and a local road map to follow.
Weston McKennie, who grew up in Little Elm and entered the FC Dallas academy at age 11, was named to the United States' 26-player roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which opens for the Americans on Friday against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The Juventus midfielder has 64 caps, 12 international goals and the fastest hat trick in U.S. men's national team history, scored in 13 minutes against Cuba.
His development path matters to a fast-growing soccer town like this one. McKennie moved through the same North Texas academy pipeline that scouts watch today, often playing up an age group, before leaving at 18 for Germany's Schalke 04 and eventually Italy's Juventus.
The tournament itself is practically local. AT&T Stadium in Arlington hosts nine matches between June 14 and July 14, more than any venue in the tournament, including a semifinal. The United States continues Group D play against Australia and Turkiye on June 19 in Seattle and June 25 in Los Angeles.
Our sister publication LittleElm.city has the full hometown feature on McKennie's road from North Texas to the World Cup.