Dallas city leaders say they’re getting downtown ready to welcome thousands of international visitors for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The updates came during this morning’s State of Downtown address, hosted by Downtown Dallas, Inc., a nonprofit that oversees growth and development in the city’s urban core.
The event brought together hundreds of representatives from major corporations and civic organizations to discuss progress, challenges, and what’s next for downtown — with the 2026 FIFA World Cup being the next big checkbox on the list.
Jennifer Scripps, president and CEO of Downtown Dallas Inc., compared FIFA to “hosting a really big party in your house” and highlighted the necessary steps the city plans to take before its big moment on the world stage.
“It is just the start of a new era for Downtown Dallas and our safety, our security and our economic prosperity,” she said. “I’m grateful for the support of our downtown civic leaders, businesses, and stakeholders.”
Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux was among the keynote speakers at the address. He shared encouraging trends about public safety and outlined his department’s next steps.
According to Comeaux, there are now 120 police officers assigned to Downtown, up from 90 just a few months ago. He said overall crime is down 11%, including a 16% drop in violent crime and nearly a 30% decrease in quality-of-life offenses, such as panhandling and other nuisance issues.
Downtown Dallas Inc. credited much of the improvement to a program launched earlier this year that helped move chronically homeless individuals off the streets and into housing and other services. The organization also spearheaded a new wave of safety patrol teams that offer assistance to businesses and visitors on a daily basis.
The chief also announced plans for a new Dallas Police substation downtown, which is expected to open before the FIFA tournament.
“One of the things we’re going to add to that and start it now, we’re going to hand-pick some officers. We’re going to put some neighborhood officers downtown, which is going to be very important for downtown,” he said. “And one of the things that I’m going to be expecting these NPO officers to do is to go to all of the businesses at some point. Obviously, there’s a lot. But we’re going to come up with a plan so we can go and not just go just to be seen, but to really talk about how we can make downtown safer. We can give each business an assessment and see what’s happening downtown so we can try to push that crime out,” said Comeaux.
The FIFA World Cup, expected to draw record crowds to North Texas, will put Dallas in the international spotlight.
Comeaux said his team is already coordinating with local and international agencies to prepare for the 42-day global tournament.
“We’re going to collaborate with everyone, we’re going to keep everyone safe. The great thing is that Dallas has a lot of events that helps prepare us, starting from the Grambling-Prairie View game to the Texas-OU game. There’s things in place already that will help us expand,” he said. “I took a trip to the Middle East to see all the best practices.”
The previous World Cup was hosted in Qatar.
Another aspect Comeaux said he’s keeping an eye on is fan relations, as dozens of rival teams and their fans will be attending the games. Officials expect to learn in December which national teams will be based in the region, and Dallas Police said crowd control planning is already well underway.
Beyond safety, Downtown Dallas, Inc. also shared other major development updates:
Construction on the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center will begin after it serves as the International Broadcast Hub for FIFA, hosting 2,000 journalists who will cover the games played across North America.
A deal to save the historic Neiman Marcus downtown store was reached after last-minute negotiations involving DDI, the city and business leaders.
The city continues to lobby at the state level to protect downtown cultural districts and maintain funding for DART.
New commercial projects — including a redevelopment at Bank of America Plaza — are underway, alongside initiatives to expand green spaces, murals, and public safety presence downtown.