Texas Derby


The Texas derby is a soccer rivalry between the Houston Dynamo FC and FC Dallas, recognizing the best club in the state for the season until 2021 when Austin FC joined MLS. The two squads play a series of games with the series winner taking home El Capitán, a replica 18th century mountain howitzer cannon. Through the 2025 season, FC Dallas leads the series, 11–9.
The Houston Dynamo clinched the 2006 series with a win on August 12, 2006, and the 2007 series with a win on August 19, 2007. FC Dallas claimed the 2008 series on the away goals rule, after having tied with Dynamo in all three games played that season. The away goals rule is no longer used as a tiebreaker.
Both the 2016 and 2017 series were tied, the first since 2008 and the first since the tiebreaker rules were changed. Houston won the 2016 series on goal differential. The tiebreakers couldn't separate the teams in 2017 so Houston retained El Capitán. Dallas won the 2019 series on goal differential and the 2023 series on the final tiebreaker as both matches ended in a draw.

Tiebreakers

Only MLS regular season matches are used to determine the winner of El Capitán, unless the season series is tied. If the series is tied, the tiebreakers are as follows:
1goal differential in MLS regular season matches between the two teams
2MLS Cup Playoffs – winner of match/series
3CONCACAF Champions League – winner of series
4U.S. Open Cup – winner of match
5holders retain El Capitán

Series results

El Capitán winners

All-time record

CompetitionPlayedHouston Dynamo winsHouston Dynamo goalsDrawnFC Dallas winsFC Dallas goals
MLS regular season501468201676
MLS Cup Playoffs214012
U.S. Open Cup415037
Total561677202085

Game history

Top scorers

Bold indicates a player who is still on a FC Dallas or Houston Dynamo roster.
RankPlayerTeamGoals
1

Clean sheets

Bold indicates a player who is still on a FC Dallas or Houston Dynamo roster.
RankPlayerTeamShutouts
1

Players who have played for both clubs

Bold indicates a player who is still on a FC Dallas or Houston Dynamo roster.
NamePositionHouston yearsDallas yearsTexas derby goals

Attendances

Top 5 most-attended Houston home Texas derbies
  • Houston 4–1 Dallas; 30,088 Robertson Stadium
  • Houston 1–4 Dallas; 22,202 BBVA Compass Stadium
  • Houston 1–1 Dallas; 22,115 BBVA Compass Stadium
  • Houston 2–1 Dallas; 22,039 BBVA Compass Stadium
  • Houston 5–0 Dallas; 21,601 BBVA Compass Stadium
Top 5 least-attended Houston home Texas derbies
  • Houston 0–0 Dallas; 0 BBVA Stadium
  • Houston 2–0 Dallas; 1,582 BBVA Stadium
  • Houston 2–3 Dallas; 2,083 BBVA Compass Stadium
  • Houston 3–0 Dallas; 4,000 Carl Lewis Track and Field Stadium
  • Houston 0–1 Dallas; 10,150 BBVA Compass Stadium
Top 5 most-attended Dallas home Texas derbies
  • Dallas 1–1 Houston; 19,096 Toyota Stadium
  • Dallas 2–0 Houston; 19,096 Toyota Stadium
  • Dallas 0–3 Houston; 17,366 Pizza Hut Park
  • Dallas 4–2 Houston; 16,835 Toyota Stadium
  • Dallas 2–1 Houston; 15,792 Toyota Stadium
Top 5 least-attended Dallas home Texas derbies
  • Dallas 2–1 Houston; 222 Toyota Stadium
  • Dallas 3–0 Houston; 4,000 FC Dallas Stadium
  • Dallas 3–0 Houston; 4,028 Toyota Stadium
  • Dallas 1–0 Houston; 7,442 Pizza Hut Park
  • Dallas 1–1 Houston; 8,018 Pizza Hut Park

    Honors