DFW has strong chance of hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup games
DALLAS - The DFW region will likely be named as one of the hosts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The hope is to be more than a host. The hope is to get championship games and a big economic boost.
On Thursday, the Dallas-Fort Worth region will know if it will be one of the 2026 World Cup hosts for the U.S. The real prize our region is aiming for is a semi-final, championship game or the International Broadcast Center.
The last time Dallas hosted a World Cup match was a quarter-final match in 1994 at the Cotton Bowl.
"You saw what happened off the back of the 94 World Cup. Major League Soccer was launched. What's going to happen on the back of 2026 World Cup," said FC Dallas President Dan Hunt.
When Dallas put in its bid to become a World Cup host city again, it teamed up with multiple cities in the region, providing AT&T Stadium in Arlington for matches, the Toyota Stadium in Frisco, the Cotton Bowl, Fair Park and Globe Life Field for training areas.
The goal is to get as many matches here as possible.
"Our goal all along has been we want six matches in a final or five matches in a final or semifinal somewhere around there," Hunt said.
The region is competing with 15 other cities to become a host city, including Houston.
But getting named and getting multiple matches could result in thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in revenue for the area.
What is unknown is how much our region may still have to spend if it’s chosen.
Monica Paul is the Dallas Sports Commissions Executive Director.
"We're blessed here in Texas that we do have a program within the state of Texas and the major event reimbursement program that allow us to cover some of our… a large amount of our event costs things that it takes to put this on," she said.
One big hurdle for our region is that even though there’s a lot to offer, it’s spread out. Plus, public transportation doesn’t reach every venue. And that includes the biggest one: AT&T Stadium.
But Hunt told attendees at a pre-announcement event that transportation plans are in the works. And he touted the affordability of travel in North Texas.
"It is affordable for fans to come visit. Hotel rooms are inexpensive for a major city," he said.
Even if North Texas is selected Thursday, we won't know how many matches the region will host until sometime next year.
Dallas is also bidding for the International Broadcast Center at Fair Park, something Dallas had in 1994.
"The International Broadcast Center is a big deal," Paul said. "That’s putting us on a stage worldwide."
Hunt says North Texas are also bidding for the central referee location.
There will be an announcement watch party Thursday in Downtown Dallas at the AT&T Discovery District.