The FIFA World Cup: More Than a Tournament

For one remarkable month, Dallas welcomed the world. As a host city for the FIFA World Cup, we welcomed fans from across the globe and, through the International Broadcast Center, helped bring the tournament to billions of viewers worldwide.

The World Cup was about much more than soccer. It gave us the opportunity to welcome business leaders, international delegations, and prospective investors while showcasing the restaurants, neighborhoods, parks, museums, hotels, and cultural attractions that make Dallas one of the country's most dynamic cities.

This success was only possible because of extraordinary collaboration. Thousands of City employees worked alongside public safety agencies, regional partners, volunteers, Visit Dallas, the Dallas Sports Commission, the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee, and the private sector to deliver a safe, welcoming, and memorable experience. Together, North Texas hosted more matches than any other host market and demonstrated our ability to perform on the world's biggest stage.

This past Wednesday at City Council we recognized many of the amazing City employees and partners listed above that made the FIFA World Cup such a success here. They put in countless hours of work across weekends, nights, and even holidays that no one saw. I am incredibly proud of them and the work they did over the past years to make sure that Dallas was represented so well on the World stage. 

That spirit of partnership extended beyond tournament operations. I also want to thank DFW Airport CEO Chris McGlaughlin and the DFW Airport team for generously making airport facilities available to support Dallas Police Department operations during the tournament. It's a great example of what can be accomplished when regional partners come together in service of our community.

While the tournament has concluded, its impact continues. The relationships we've strengthened, the investments we've attracted, and the global visibility we've earned will continue creating opportunities for Dallas for years to come.

Dallas Scores: Measuring the Future We're Building

Dallas Scores is our new organizational scorecard. It keeps us focused on the top 10 long-term initiatives that will shape Dallas for decades to come—not simply measuring activity but measuring meaningful progress.

We're transforming the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (for more information check out the KBHCC Master Plan Newsletter Here), investing in public safety, and creating new opportunities through continued investment in Southern Dallas and Fair Park. Together, these efforts strengthen neighborhoods, support economic growth, and improve quality of life across our city.

We're also positioning Dallas for the future. Through Growing Y'all Street, we're reinforcing Dallas as one of the nation's leading financial centers. Dallas Is Home continues expanding attainable housing and helping more residents transition from homelessness into permanent housing, while Pegasus Park is driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and life sciences.

Our work also includes improving transportation and mobility, preparing Love Field for future growth through the LEAP program, supporting the continued resurgence of Downtown Dallas, and planning the future of City facilities to ensure they continue serving residents efficiently for generations to come.

Together, these initiatives represent a long-term commitment to building a Dallas that creates opportunity, attracts investment, and improves quality of life for every resident.

Delivering a Responsible Budget

In the next few hours, the FY2027 Recommended Budget Book will become available displaying the weeks of work that have taken place to ensure we deliver a balanced and resident prioritized budget. Please keep your eyes out for that as its release approaches today. 

Developing this city budget was about more than balancing numbers. It was about making responsible decisions that protect essential services while positioning Dallas for long-term success.

Like many cities across the country, we're navigating a more challenging fiscal environment. While Dallas' economy remains strong, slower sales tax growth and rising costs for public safety, healthcare, pensions, and technology require us to make thoughtful decisions about how we manage taxpayer dollars.

Rather than waiting to respond, we acted early. This spring, we implemented targeted hiring restrictions, reduced discretionary spending, limited overtime to mission-critical operations, and announced temporary furlough days as part of a broader cost-containment strategy. These were difficult but necessary decisions to preserve essential services, protect jobs where possible, and maintain the City's financial stability.

As we prepared the FY2027 Recommended Budget, every revenue source and expenditure was being carefully evaluated. Just as importantly, we are aligning our investments with the priorities residents identified through the recent 2026 community survey results. The top five priorities being—maintaining infrastructure, strengthening police services, addressing homelessness, ensuring safe and reliable drinking water, and supporting ambulance and emergency medical services—continue to help guide our decision-making as we built a budget that reflects the needs of our community. To see the full 2026 community survey results go here or check out my socials to see the overview of the results. 

Our goal remains the same: deliver a balanced budget that invests in the services that matter most while ensuring Dallas remains financially strong for years to come. As the budget process moves forward, I'll continue to keep you informed on key milestones leading up to City Council's adoption of the FY2027 budget this fall.

Together, We're Building Dallas

None of what you've read in this update happens because of City Hall alone. It happens because people across Dallas continue to show up, invest, collaborate, and believe in what's possible. The challenges we face are real, but so are the opportunities before us. Together, we have the ability to shape a city that is safer, stronger, more innovative, and more inclusive for everyone who calls Dallas home. Thank you for your partnership, your leadership, and your continued commitment to our city. I look forward to the work ahead and all that we'll accomplish together.

Kimberly Bizor

Tolbert City Manager

City of Dallas