Dallas–Fort Worth is getting into its largest international sports activities second in many years. FIFA has confirmed the area will host 9 matches at AT&T Stadium (branded as “Dallas Stadium” throughout the match) as a part of the expanded 48-team, 104-match 2026 FIFA World Cup. With the group-stage draw now public and native planning accelerating—from stadium upgrades to fan-festival logistics—that is the window when cities both flip momentum into legacy, or get overwhelmed by it. That urgency is amplified by the economics of contemporary sports activities tourism. A 2024 industry report pegged spectator sports activities tourism at $47.1B in direct spending and $114.4B in complete financial affect within the U.S., supporting lots of of 1000’s of jobs—precisely the sort of “heads in beds” affect a sports activities fee is constructed to chase.
So what does it truly take to land the world’s largest sporting occasion—and the way did Dallas turn out to be the place rights-holders belief to ship?
That’s the core query explored on this episode of the DLC Drop Podcast, hosted by John Davidson, that includes Monica Paul, Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission. Together, they unpack how the Sports Commission recruits occasions that drive financial affect, why Dallas has been acknowledged because the No. 1 sports activities enterprise metropolis within the U.S., and what locals and companies ought to anticipate as World Cup planning shifts from bid-mode to execution.
Key takeaways from the dialog…
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What a sports activities fee actually does: Monica explains the “recruit-and-deliver” mannequin—bidding for youth, collegiate, professional, and worldwide occasions that fill inns, eating places, and points of interest, whereas additionally constructing group applications and profession pathways.
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Why Dallas wins bids: The area’s airport entry, venue depth, resort stock, company base, volunteer tradition, and a “can-do” host mindset create confidence for rights-holders—plus a monitor report of executing main occasions at scale.
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World Cup realities for locals and companies: Expect a large fan-festival footprint, worldwide guests (together with many with out match tickets), and a wave of activations—plus particular guidelines round public watch events and FIFA-controlled branding.
Monica Paul is the Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission, the place she leads efforts to draw and help sporting occasions that generate financial affect and elevate Dallas–Fort Worth as a premier vacation spot. A University of Texas alum, she started her profession in elite sport with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball program on the Olympic Training Center, later holding occasion management roles throughout organizations together with USA Taekwondo and USA Volleyball. In the episode, she shares classes from a multi-sport, worldwide profession—particularly the significance of win-win partnerships and staying humble whereas constructing large outcomes.
Article written by MarketScale.