Dallas is close to securing the International Broadcast Center for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This means that the main feed from all World Cup matches would be broadcast from Dallas and thousands of journalists would be covering the event from downtown, potentially generating tens of millions of dollars in economic revenue for our city.
But first, the City Council must decide to spend $15 million to fix up the existing Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. A vote is scheduled Wednesday.
Dallas has competed with major cities across the U.S. to host the broadcast center, and winning the job would be a huge get. However, it puts the city in the strange position of having to invest in fixing up an old convention center that will be torn down and replaced. About $8.5 million in capital funding has already been budgeted because the venue is still hosting events while the new Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is built. FIFA’s requested upgrades would require up to $6.5 million more.
Convention center repairs unfortunately have become part of the cost of doing business, at least for now. The $3.7 billion convention center redevelopment is expected to be completed by 2029 and should put Dallas on the map for world-class events.
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As it stands, the repair money is to fix the current venue’s leaky roof and climate control, among other things, and to update loading docks to support broadcast equipment. FIFA, the world’s soccer governing body, also wants a security perimeter around its broadcast center.
According to estimates from the Dallas Sports Commission, the International Broadcast Center would have a $215 million economic impact on the city and bring 150 temporary jobs to the area. The commission also estimated that between 2,000 to 5,000 broadcasters will be staying in Dallas during the monthlong event.
Rosa Fleming, director of the city’s conventions and events services, told a City Council committee that the city could recoup some of the money through rent payments since FIFA will be renting the building for eight months, beginning in January 2026.
The Dallas Sports Commission pushed hard to get the city to host the broadcast center, as it did in the 1994 World Cup. FIFA is waiting for the City Council’s decision to make an official announcement about the broadcast center, with a news conference already scheduled after the vote.
North Texas will be hosting nine World Cup matches in 2026 with an expected $2 billion in economic impact for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Hosting the International Broadcast Center will add to the prestige Dallas has built as a top sports destination.
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Dallas Morning News editorials are written by the paper's Editorial Board and serve as the voice and view of the paper. The board considers a broad range of topics and is overseen by the Editorial Page Editor.
