North Texas shined as host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in Arlington, organizers said at a Fort Worth panel discussion Tuesday.
The success of the region’s nine games in June and July came through partnerships between cities and federal, state and local authorities, said Monica Paul, president of the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee and executive director of the Dallas Sports Commission.
Paul was among the panelists at a Fort Worth Chamber lunch discussion at the PalmWood event center downtown. She was joined by Jerome Woodard, chief operating officer of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and Drew Hays, executive director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission. Some key takeaways from the discussion:
- Local officials developed key relationships with federal and state agencies to advance regional planning for transportation, security and funding, Paul said. “This is a process that didn’t exist,” she said.
- Texas hospitality was at the forefront of the tournament, Woodard said. Enthusiastic volunteers and others welcomed global visitors with warmth and authenticity, coupled with local watch parties and other events that shared the Texas experience.
- Fort Worth tourism officials created their own “Howdy” brand to unite Tarrant County communities, Hays said. About 180 Fort Worth area businesses participated in the campaign by placing welcome banners, window clings and other marketing tools for visitors to see. The effort bolstered related watch parties at Sundance Square and the Fort Worth Stockyards.
- Transportation plans went well with a combination of passenger rail and charter buses used to move people to Arlington but more rideshare locations were needed, Paul said. Global visitors used the Trinity Railway Express to reach CentrePort/DFW Station, where they boarded buses to reach AT&T Stadium, rebranded to Dallas Stadium during the World Cup. However, officials were unsure how many visitors would use rideshare services for pickups and dropoffs. Officials added a parking lot for rideshare services, Paul said.
- Officials needed to move faster from the planning to the operational stage, Woodard said. “Don’t get stuck in the planning,” he said, urging officials to begin operational strategies sooner than later.
- The tournament helped rally Fort Worth voters to pass Proposition B in the 2026 bond election, Hays said. That $185 million initiative will provide upgrades and infrastructure improvement for parks and recreation as well as new open space acquisitions.
The local plan will be modified for future sporting events that regional officials intend to bid for, including the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the potential return of the World Cup in 2038.
“I think everything went well operationally,” Paul said.
Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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