Dallas’ Environmental Sustainability Efforts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The City of Dallas and the greater North Texas region viewed hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup as an opportunity to enhance and expand the environmental sustainability initiatives needed to support an international event. The City of Dallas utilized its existing Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan as the foundation for its environmental approach to hosting the tournament during the summer of 2026.

While the City’s sustainability approach addressed a broad range of environmental topics, Dallas placed particular emphasis on heat mitigation and air quality. These two environmental considerations became the primary focus areas for expanding operations, as well as for developing outreach and public awareness campaigns associated with each initiative.

The Dallas Community Air Management Program (DCAMP) is a network of 24 air quality monitors that tracks air quality at the community level throughout the City of Dallas. In partnership with the FIFA World Cup Host Committee, the city installed an additional air quality monitor at the FIFA Fan Festival in Fair Park to monitor air quality for the more than one million fans who visited the festival during the tournament. Independent air quality measurements were also collected at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, as well as at locations across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.

Extreme heat is a common occurrence during the summer months in Dallas, making heat preparedness a critical component of planning for the more than one million international visitors expected to experience the city and participate in FIFA World Cup activities. To support these efforts, the city launched its Heat Adaptation Plan in late spring. The plan outlined strategies to help residents and visitors prepare for extreme heat, including guidance on cooling solutions, heat safety practices, and available community resources.

Oppong Hemeng, Climate Action & Sustainability Manager of Dallas reports “The City of Dallas was in a strong position because we were able to leverage our existing Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan as the foundation for our sustainability approach. This placed us at the forefront of the host cities, as our existing plan already provided a framework for many of our operations and enabled us to meet the sustainability commitments required by FIFA while also addressing the needs of our local community.”

The city also worked closely with the FIFA medical team to develop and implement a medical heat response plan for potential heat-related emergencies during the tournament. Together, these new and existing initiatives strengthened the City’s preparedness for the FIFA World Cup and will continue as part of Dallas’s standard operating procedures. 

These efforts will benefit residents while ensuring the city is well prepared to enhance city operations and hosting future major events across North Texas in the years ahead.