Dallas Receives $51.5 Million in Federal Funding to Secure World Cup Matches

The federal government is putting more than $51 million behind what Dallas Police Chief Daniel C. Comeaux has framed as a chance for the region to perform on a global stage. The city has been awarded $51,584,327 through FEMA's FIFA World Cup Grant Program, part of a $625 million security package distributed across all 11 U.S. host cities as the tournament's June kickoff approaches. "We are excited to welcome the world to Dallas for this historic international event," Comeaux said in a department press release. "This moment is not just for our city, but for our entire region to showcase who we are."

The allocation—seventh-largest among host cities, with Miami leading at nearly $73.7 million—covers an expansive preparedness apparatus: more than $22 million for overall security readiness, $1.3 million for equipment including expanded camera networks, portable anti-ramming barricades, and rapid-response utility vehicles, and a separate $10 million-plus grant specifically targeting drone mitigation technology across venues.

The funding had been pledged through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act (the marketing name for the "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act) last summer. But it stalled during the notorious, and ongoing, partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown in early 2026. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn praised the allocation, calling the resources "critical" to managing crowds, identifying threats, and keeping visitors safe. Dallas is hosting nine World Cup matches—the most of any U.S. city—with an estimated four million visitors and a projected $2 billion regional economic impact.

There is a bit of an ‘elephant in the room’ phenomenon here. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons confirmed at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing in February that ICE would be a "key part of the overall security apparatus," and he explicitly declined to rule out enforcement operations around matches when pressed by lawmakers.

When asked about DPD's involvement with ICE during the World Cup, Chief Comeaux gave a very carefully hedged answer: "We will work with all our federal partners, but our main thing is just to keep everyone safe."