Dallas city leaders are ramping up preparations for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With multiple games scheduled in Arlington and the International Broadcast Center hosted in Dallas, city officials are now tackling a range of World Cup concerns, from safety and public transport problems to homelessness management issues.
A Deloitte study estimates that the World Cup could generate between $1.5 and $2.5 billion in revenue for the area. With the huge influx of visitors – and their wallets – expected, city leaders are now working to address logistical challenges, like making sure businesses are ready to meet FIFA’s standards.
“Our goal is very simple: to make the FIFA World Cup in Dallas the most successful and safest World Cup ever,” City Manager Kim Tolbert told Fox 4.
Yet, concerns remain about the strain on city resources, particularly for public transit, law enforcement, and short-term rentals.
Worries over short-term rentals, such as Airbnb and Vrbo, still remain unresolved due to ongoing legal battles over city ordinances, as previously covered by DX. Some officials even worry that increased demand for temporary housing could lead to evictions and inflated rental prices.
Additionally, City Council Member Cara Mendelsohn highlighted homelessness as a critical issue for the World Cup, specifically arguing that any cleanup efforts should be extended beyond downtown.
“All of us could see scenes downtown that we would not want broadcast around the world, but what I would ask of you is that whatever is done is actually done citywide, that it’s not only downtown, because these same scenes are available all over our city,” Mendelsohn told Fox.
City officials are now expected to present an updated plan for enforcing homelessness policies later this week, according to Tolbert.
Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins also stressed that the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system still needs extensive preparation to handle the increased capacity levels during the upcoming games.
“If we don’t get the DART situation under control, we’re going to be a failure,” Atkins told Fox. “We cannot get people to hotels, restaurants, games, or shopping centers without a reliable transit system.”