Dallas makes pitch to host 2026 World Cup games

DALLAS - North America has been chosen to host the 2026 world cup soccer tournament.

It remains to be seen which cities will be part of the action, but Dallas wants to be included. 

There are plenty of cities around the United States that would love to host some of the games in the World Cup soccer tournament. The Dallas host committee is making its pitch to the organization that will do the choosing.

The committee has prepared a promotional video that talks up the Dallas-Fort Worth area as a region that could successfully host games, practices, training and everything else that comes with the tournament.

The World Cup 2026 will be played in cities across North America: Mexico, the United States and Canada. Dallas-Fort Worth is one of 17 metropolitan areas in the U.S. competing to host some games.

Dallas was a host city for the 1994 World Cup and the local committee said it was a great experience.

This time around, the games would happen at AT&T Stadium with training and practices happening at the Cotton Bowl, Toyota Stadium, maybe on the Southern Methodist University campus and in other spots.

In addition to AT&T Stadium, the group is pitching using the new Rangers park as well as maybe some sort of simulcast event to break some attendance records.

The goal Thursday is to make a strong impression on FIFA, the international organization that puts on the World Cup every four years.

“I'm very, very excited – a little butterflies. I have to say it's almost like going on your first date. This is something we've been working toward for a very long time, actually, many years,” said Dallas Sports Commission Executive Director Monica Paul.

It’s estimated being a World Cup host would mean a $400 million economic boost and 3,000 jobs.

The cities that are chosen will be notified in the fall of 2021.