Argentine superstar Lionel Messi will potentially play at least two FIFA World Cup games in the Dallas area next year, fueling hopes among local officials for a bigger economic gain from the global soccer tournament.
Existing projections for an impact of $1.5 billion to $2.1 billion may be revised upward after the release of a schedule showing that Dallas will host defending champion Argentina and matches featuring other global soccer powers, said Monica Paul, executive director of the Dallas Sports Commission.