Dallas secures $51.6M in federal funding for World Cup security preparations

In anticipation of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded Dallas $51.6 million to enhance public safety. 

The funding was part of a larger nationwide investment totaling $625 million to cover public safety costs across all 11 U.S. host cities. Administered through the FIFA World Cup Grant Program (FWCGP), both state and municipal officials will be empowered to hold operational exercises, conduct staff background checks, strengthen cybersecurity defenses and other relevant security actions. 

The FWCGP covers five main project categories: 

• Planning. 
• Organization. 
• Equipment. 
• Training. 
• Exercises. 

All qualifying initiatives must demonstrate a clear connection to solutions, security and infrastructure designed to safeguard FIFA World Cup events. The program emphasizes efforts related to preventing, preparing for, protecting against and responding to potential acts of terrorism. 

Full details on how Dallas plans to allocate its share of the funding have not been released. Officials have confirmed that the funding will help reinforce security measures and public safety preparedness. 

While the grant stands out as one of the largest awards Dallas has received to upgrade security measures in advance of the international sporting event, it isn’t the first. In October 2025, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) received a $436,000 federal grant to improve security for major events. The transit system has experienced a spike in violent crimes in recent years, signaling the need for better security measures and solutions in preparation for huge increases in ridership. 

Photo by Nicole Cordeiro, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, from Wikimedia Commons