Dallas to host Texas-sized outdoor hockey game in 2027

Photo Credit: NHL.com

For the first time, hockey is coming to “Jerry World.”

Ahead of Monday Night’s NFL matchup between the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys on ESPN, the NHL, Jerry Jones, and the Dallas Stars announced the 2027 NHL Stadium Series will take place at AT&T Stadium, home of the Cowboys, on Feb. 20, 2027.

"The National Hockey League is thrilled to bring the spectacle of an NHL Stadium Series game to Arlington and one of the world's most spectacular sports settings, AT&T Stadium," said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

This will be the first outdoor hockey game AT&T Stadium will host since it opened in 2009. The venue is no stranger to hosting major sporting events. “Jerry World” hosted the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, Super Bowl XLV in 2011, the NCAA Men’s Division I Final Four in 2014, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, and the 2018 NFL Draft, along with numerous soccer and wrestling events over the years. The stadium will host nine matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup next summer, including a semi-final.

However, hockey has been on Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ mind since the groundbreaking for the world-class venue in September 2005.

"Hosting the NHL Stadium Series with the Dallas Stars is another great example of the vision we've always had for what AT&T Stadium could be beyond football," said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. "The game will be another proud moment for us and being able to provide a world class fan and team experience in partnership with two outstanding organizations, the NHL and the Stars, will be very special."

"Ever since its opening in 2009, Jerry Jones has been advocating for an outdoor game at this amazing venue,” Bettman said. “And we are delighted to partner with the Cowboys and Stars -- two franchises dedicated to the fans of North Texas -- and to create another unique fan experience for a market that has long been a hockey success story and welcomed us so enthusiastically when the 2020 NHL Winter Classic was played at the Cotton Bowl."

This will be the Stars’ second outdoor game in franchise history.

They hosted the 2020 NHL Winter Classic against the Nashville Predators. Fans filled the Cotton Bowl, another historic and rather large football stadium in Dallas. The 85,630 fans who attended the Stars' 4-2 win over the Preds were part of the third-largest crowd in NHL history. Originally the second-largest, the league’s most recent Stadium Series game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on March 1, 2025, had an attendance of 94,751. The 2014 NHL Winter Classic still holds the record for the highest-attended hockey game, with 105,491 fans packing Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor to see the Toronto Maple Leafs defeat the Detroit Red Wings.

AT&T Stadium can host around 105,000 fans thanks to a plethora of standing-room-only options, giving next year’s game the chance to break the record for the highest-attended game in league history. The record attendance for an NFL game at “Jerry World” is 105,121, set in 2009. The 2010 NBA All-Star Game still holds the record for the highest-attended event in AT&T Stadium history, with a crowd of 108,713.

“This place is incredible," Bettman said. "... We think it’s going to be awesome. We had a great experience at the Cotton Bowl with 84,000 people. My guess is that we're going to beat that number, and I think our fans and everybody in attendance at that game is going to be thrilled to be here. We're excited and we're grateful to Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys for sharing their home with us."

The Stars’ opponent for the 2027 Stadium Series will be announced at a later date.

The NHL will host two outdoor games in 2026. The Florida Panthers will host the New York Rangers in the 2026 NHL Winter Classic at LoanDepot Park, home of MLB’s Miami Marlins, in Miami, Florida, on Jan. 2, 2026. The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Boston Bruins in the 2026 NHL Stadium Series at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in Tampa, Florida, on Feb. 1.

The Panthers will be the final Eastern Conference team to play in an outdoor game when the puck drops in the Sunshine State on Jan. 2. Heading into next season, the only team not to participate in an outdoor game in their franchise’s history will be the Utah Mammoth. With hockey on the rise in Utah and a strong team on the ice, could the newly-named Mammoth be headed to “Jerry World” next season to play the Stars?

"Our organization is thrilled to have the opportunity to host the 2027 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at AT&T Stadium," said Stars owner Tom Gaglardi. "Five years ago, the 2020 NHL Winter Classic was a celebration of the growth and success of hockey in the Lone Star State, which was the third-highest attended outdoor game in League history. We have no doubt that our upcoming Stadium Series game will be met with the same enthusiasm and passion from our fan base.

“We would like to thank NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Dallas Cowboys owner, president and general manager Jerry Jones and the entire Jones family for their support in making this game a reality. AT&T Stadium is one of the premier entertainment venues in the world and is the perfect place to host our next outdoor game."