Dallas Doubles Down on Downtown Safety Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup

The city of Dallas is adding more police officers and services for the homeless as part of a new effort to improve safety and quality of life in the downtown area before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The nonprofit Downtown Dallas Inc. (DDI) is in charge of the project, a partnership between the city, Housing Forward, and downtown companies. Together, they want to make the public safer and keep going with the "Street-to-Home" program, which has helped over 250 people living on the streets find new homes.

Rob Walters of the Dallas Citizens Council said, "This is a significant time." "The city, especially the southern part, will suffer if we let our core shrink."

As part of the plan, a new police substation and 35 more officers will be added to the downtown force, bringing the total number of cops to at least 130 by the middle of summer. In the meantime, thanks to community courts, people with minor crimes will do community service instead of going to jail.

Even though there are different crime numbers—city police say violent crime downtown has gone down by 3% since 2020, while a consultant study for DDI thinks it will go up by 42% from 2019 to 2023—businesses are worried that violence is getting worse. Several law companies have recently moved from downtown to Uptown, and there are rumors that AT&T may do the same.

Because downtown is essential for jobs and taxes, revitalization attempts are immediately needed. Someone from DDI said, "We're like every big city after COVID—downtown needs to change."

Earlier this year, lawmakers in the state wanted to hold downtown-focused groups responsible for crime and homelessness. The bills did not pass, but they put more pressure on Dallas to act.

With FIFA's attention turning to the world soon, Dallas leaders hope this new plan will restore the downtown's image and stabilize its future.