Dallas leaders raise concerns with 2026 World Cup approaching

The city of Dallas is working to make sure it's ready for the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

City Prep

Big picture view:

The city of Dallas was recently chosen to host the International Broadcast Center. 

Dallas will also be home to fan festivals and training camps.

The city needs to focus on everything, from tackling homelessness to improving public transportation.

Several city council members said their constituents want to know more about how they can be ready to step up.

There is also concern about nuisance activity that could come along with an increase in tourists.

The Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission says a Deloitte study estimates the economic impact for the region will be between $1.5 and $2.5 billion. 

Areas of concern

What they're saying:

"Our goal is very simple: to make the FIFA World Cup in Dallas the most successful and safest World Cup ever," said Dallas City Manager, Kimberly Tolbert.

Rosa Fleming, the Convention and Event Services Director for the City of Dallas, expressed the city council's need to inform constituents ahead of this global event.

"The next meeting with FIFA will see if additional information we can get to help constituents get prepared," she said. 

Business Accreditation

Dallas City Councilman Jesse Moreno expresses the importance of businesses in the Dallas area being well-informed when it comes to doing business with FIFA. 

"I understand we don't know the needs currently. I want to make sure our businesses are equipped with the accreditations, with the process on knowing how to do business with FIFA," said Moreno. "We have a lot of restaurants acting as clubs and bars in our entertainment districts. I know our city attorney's office is reviewing that to curtail some of that activity."

Trafficking

Another member of Dallas City Council Gay Donnell Willis expressed how the huge honor that comes with hosting the FIFA World Cup, also brings the downside of crime.

"[There is] a lot of glory that comes with hosting these games and also upside for what it can mean for our community with all these global visitors, but it also brings a side that involves labor trafficking, sex trafficking," said Willis.

Willis said she's also concerned about homes being turned into short-term rentals, like Airbnb and Vrbo, as the city's ordinance remains held up in court. 

"People who could be evicted so a home could be used as a short-term rental because of the exorbitant rent that could be gotten," said Willis. 

Homelessness

Dallas City Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn wants the city to better tackle its homeless problem. 

"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," said Mendelsohn.

Transportation

Mayor Pro Tem Tennel Atkins says DART must be prepared. 

"If we don't get the DART situation under control, we're going to be a failure because we cannot get people to the hotel, we cannot get people to the restaurant, we cannot get them to the game, we cannot get to the practices, to the shopping center. You will be a failure," said Atkins.

Public service accomodation

While the Dallas Police Department announced no discretionary time off during the month of July. 

The interim Dallas fire chief, Justin Ball, said he will allow for time off as he believes Dallas Fire and Rescue will be prepared. Ball cites the October 2019 tornado that damaged 904 buildings stretching for 13 miles as a reference to his department's ability to prepare for the worst.

"We were ready with our on-duty folks. We were prepared and didn't know it was coming. We will be good," said Ball. 

What's next:

The city manager said she will be sharing an updated plan on the city's plan to address homeless monitoring and enforcement later this week.

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