North Texas and Houston are set to receive a combined $116 million in grants to support public safety efforts ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to a March 25 news release from Gov. Greg Abbott’s office.
The funding will be distributed to the city of Houston and the North Central Texas Council of Governments in North Texas to support additional safety personnel, equipment and other public safety resources tied to World Cup events, according to the release. The grants are part of the FIFA World Cup Grant Program, which will distribute $625 million to host cities nationwide.
What it means
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, with multiple matches scheduled at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and NRG Stadium in Houston.
The Dallas-Fort Worth area will host nine matches—which is more than any other U.S. host city—while Houston will host seven, including two knockout-stage games, according to FIFA’s website.
The FIFA World Cup is a “premier opportunity” for Texas, Abbott said in the release.
"These public safety grants will help ensure that travelers visiting and traveling throughout Texas can enjoy our great state safely, will bolster Texas' efforts to combat crime and help prevent potential acts of violence,” Abbott said in the release.
Some context
Monica Paul, North Texas FWC Organizing Committee president, announced March 3 that Frisco will be the base camp for Poland, Albania, Ukraine or Sweden.
The four countries are competing for a spot in the World Cup, with a qualifier expected to be determined later this month. Officials said the team that qualifies will train at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, which is currently undergoing $182 million worth of renovations.
“We’re excited to be a partner, welcome soccer fans from all over the world to our community and have soccer fever take over Frisco, Texas,” Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney said March 3.
The Dallas-Fort Worth region is expected to draw about 3.8 million visitors during the tournament, generating up to an estimated $2.1 billion in economic impact, according to a Dec. 17 news release from the city of Arlington.
Zooming out
Local and regional officials have been ramping up security preparations in advance of the tournament.
Frisco Police Chief David Shilson said in January that the department is coordinating with the FBI and other North Texas agencies on World Cup security efforts, adding that Frisco has taken on a leadership role in regional planning. The department is also preparing to deploy six Flock drones as first responders beginning in May, per previous reporting.
In Houston, city officials approved applying for more than $80.5 million in grants in February to fund advanced drone detection and mitigation technology, along with additional safety equipment and communication tools.
Alison Belcher, deputy director of the Houston Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security, said in February that the funding will support both World Cup-related security and long-term public safety initiatives.
One more thing
Tickets for World Cup matches will be available for purchase during the Last-Minute Sales Phase starting at 9 a.m. April 2, according to FIFA’s website.
