A convention center in Dallas may become the “International Broadcast Center” for journalists during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
If it becomes a reality, the Kay Bailey Hitchinson Convention Center will host around 2,000 journalists covering the massive sporting event that occurs once every four years. The journalist headquarters would be active for around a month and a half, with FIFA gaining 24/7 access to most of the facility.
Dallas-Fort Worth is already front and center for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with matches planned at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Nationwide, 11 cities will be hosting games during the international soccer tournament.
FIFA has raised several conditions before the Kay Bailey Hitchinson Convention Center can be officially chosen as the journalist HQ. The organization has stipulated that the roof must be fixed and climate control issues resolved in one of the facility’s garages. FIFA has also stated that they need to be able to transport broadcast equipment into the venue.
In total, the city has budgeted around $15 million to address the issues. According to officials with the convention center, some of those costs were already anticipated. As a result, the city needs around $6 million in new funding to tackle the to-do list.
“All eyes are going to be on Dallas and so we want to make sure the convention center is in tip-top shape in order to take care of everybody,” District 2 Council Member Jessie Moreno said during an Ad Hoc Committee on Professional Sports Recruitment and Retention meeting on December 2, per KERA News.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Dallas previously hosted FIFA World Cup matches at the historic Cotton Bowl in 1994.
The 2026 event is forecast to generate around $2 billion in economic activity in North Texas.