Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has reportedly agreed to make major changes to AT&T Stadium ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
However, the decision has now sparked anger among Cowboys supporters.
AT&T Stadium will host nine matches during the tournament, including five group-stage fixtures and four knockout games.
The stadium in Arlington, Texas, will even stage one of the World Cup semi-finals later this summer.
With temperatures expected to rise above 90 degrees during the competition, FIFA reportedly raised concerns over extreme heat affecting players, supporters and officials.
As a result, Jones has now agreed to install blackout curtains inside the stadium during selected matches.
According to Front Office Sports, the curtains will block sunlight coming through the famous west-facing windows inside AT&T Stadium.
The issue has caused controversy for years during NFL games. Several Dallas Cowboys players previously complained that sunlight affected visibility during matches.
Despite those complaints, Jones repeatedly refused to install curtains for Cowboys games.
That is exactly why many supporters reacted angrily after learning FIFA successfully convinced him to make the change for the World Cup.
The controversy has grown even further because Jones also reportedly agreed to install temporary natural grass over the stadium’s artificial turf.
FIFA requires all World Cup stadiums to use natural grass surfaces during the tournament.
Cowboys players previously requested similar changes for NFL games but those demands were ignored. Jones famously dismissed criticism over the sunlight issue in previous years.
The blackout curtains will reportedly only be used during one early evening World Cup fixture between Japan and Sweden.
Still, many Cowboys supporters now believe FIFA received treatment their own team never did.
And with the World Cup fast approaching, frustration around Jones’ decisions continues growing among the Dallas fanbase.
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