In a few weeks, nine FIFA World Cup games will take place in the Dallas-Fort Worth\u00a0area. The tournament kicks off in\u00a0Arlington\u00a0on\u00a0June 14, when Japan takes on the Netherlands at AT&T Stadium, and a crucial semifinal follows on July 14, giving our city a full month in the global spotlight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For many, this is a literal once-in-a-generation event. The last time the United States hosted the men\u2019s World Cup was in 1994. An entire generation of Texans has\u00a0grown\u00a0up\u00a0since then, and it will\u00a0likely be\u00a0decades before a tournament of this\u00a0magnitude\u00a0returns to our backyard. This\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0just an annual championship or a passing concert tour; it is a rare global convergence happening right on our doorstep. We cannot let it pass by without\u00a0leveraging\u00a0it\u00a0for the good of our communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
You may have already noticed the growing buzz: advertisements on DART rails, signage visible at AT&T Stadium from Interstate 30, restaurants promoting watch parties and flags from different countries outside of homes or on cars as neighbors declare their allegiance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The excitement is everywhere. We are gearing up to watch alongside more than 5 billion fans worldwide, but for many of us, the people we know least are the ones living closest to us. We\u2019re living in an uncomfortable reality: We are more connected to the world than ever and more disconnected from one another. According to a 2025 Pew Research Center survey<\/a>, only 26% of Americans say they know all or most of their neighbors, and 12% do not know a single one.\u00a0The American Psychological Association\u2019s 2025 Stress in America survey<\/a>\u00a0found that 54% of U.S. adults feel isolated. That same survey revealed an overwhelming 92% of adults recognize relationships as a key source of meaning in their lives. We know connection matters. We are just not\u00a0very good\u00a0at making it happen.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sport, however, provides an easy opportunity. Sport has always had a unique power to cut through division and remind us of what we share. When the U.S. men\u2019s hockey team defeated the Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympics, the victory briefly united a nation gripped by inflation, the Iran hostage crisis and deep uncertainty. More recently, the World Cup run of the 2023 U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team drew millions of viewers from every corner of the country, binding strangers together around a common cause. Sport gives us permission to care about something together.<\/p>\n The Dallas-Fort Worth area is one of the most diverse in America, home to many different cultures, ethnic communities, immigrant families and international transplants. When the world\u2019s biggest tournament comes to a region that already looks like the world, the tournament isn\u2019t just another sporting event held here. The matches, fanfare, joy of a win and sadness of a loss all represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to connect with our neighbors.<\/p>\n The opportunity, however, comes with a challenge.\u00a0Dallas-Fort Worth\u00a0is sprawling, covering more than\u00a09,200 square miles, and the people who make it so culturally rich are rarely in the same room together. In our fast-paced, modern routines, it is far too easy to pull into our driveways, close our doors and never actually learn the names of the people living just across the street or down the hall. We might exchange a quick wave from a distance, but how often do we\u00a0actually share\u00a0a table or a meaningful conversation? Something as simple, yet as globally unifying, as a soccer match allows people to come together in a way that transcends languages, backgrounds, ZIP\u00a0codes\u00a0or school districts. It gives us the perfect, low-pressure excuse to finally cross the street and knock on a door.\u00a0<\/p>\n But these interactions\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0happen at random. They happen when a city decides to be intentional.<\/p>\n One effort aiming to do this is\u00a0Victory Beyond the Cup<\/a>, an initiative of Cru, a global faith-based organization. Rather than just watching the games in isolation, we want to help residents use this global moment to forge genuine connections. The initiative is built to equip everyday people with the confidence to\u00a0engage\u00a0with friends, families and, of course, neighbors.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n We\u2019ve\u00a0tried to remove the hesitation of hosting by providing free watch party guides in multiple languages. These kits include simple things like recipe cards from various countries, conversation\u00a0starters\u00a0and practical tips for bringing people together.\u00a0We hope to\u00a0allow everyday residents, as well as community leaders, to open their doors and welcome the world in.\u00a0<\/p>\n A match may only last\u00a090 minutes, but a friendship built over a shared experience can last a lifetime.\u00a0<\/p>\n Invite your neighbors over for a match and discover what happens when Dallas-Fort Worth opens its doors.\u00a0<\/p>\n Heather Reddy\u00a0is executive director of\u00a0Victory\u00a0Beyond\u00a0the Cup, an initiative of Cru,\u00a0a global faith-based organization.<\/p>\n Have\u00a0thoughts\u00a0about this?\u00a0Send a letter to the editor\u00a0using our letters form<\/a>\u00a0or email\u00a0letters@dallasnews.com<\/a>. Letters should be no more than 200 words and include the first and last name of the writer and city of residence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In a few weeks, nine FIFA World Cup games will take place in the Dallas-Fort Worth\u00a0area. 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