North Texas Celebrates a Successful World Cup, Setting the Stage for Future Events
24 Jul 2026
Everything led to this. Years of World Cup planning and preparation led to 39 days of games, rivalries, strong player personalities, and unforgettable moments. This World Cup had everything, from underdog teams like Cape Verde and DR Congo to memes like not enough beer, too much ranch dressing, and taxidermied raccoons.
The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex was at its best throughout the tournament. Not only was it home to the international broadcast center, enabling games to reach billions of viewers worldwide, but Dallas also hosted the most games in the United States, creating nine total opportunities for the community to shine.
"We didn't just host a tournament, we made history," said Nina Vaca, Co-Chair of the North Texas FIFA World Cup 2026 Organizing Committee.
The past 39 days have helped all kinds of Grapevine businesses, from hotels and attractions benefiting from tourism dollars to local businesses connecting with customers. The event will continue to benefit Grapevine for months and years to come.
Visitors From Dozens of Countries Chose Grapevine
Millions of people traveled around North America for the World Cup, from international visitors arriving to cheer on their teams to domestic fans heading to host cities. DFW Airport, the second-busiest in the United States, reported record traffic on the 4th of July weekend with a projected 1.75 million passengers between the 2nd and 7th. This was the first time many international visitors stayed in the region, and they explored Grapevine during their visit.
"During the group stage of the World Cup and even after the first knockout round, we saw a lot of international travelers," says Amber O'Sheal, General Manager at Messina Hof Winery. “The supporters from Japan were probably our biggest crowd, and they were all top-tier guests because they were courteous, inquisitive, and excited to share in the local culture! There's a strong wine culture in Japan, and even a wine brotherhood called the Knights of the Vine, so many of our guests came with their own knowledge and a desire to share.”
The Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) frequently promotes the community to international travelers, but the World Cup boosted the number of visitors from abroad. The CVB recorded guests from more than 25 countries, including far-off destinations such as Chile, Kazakhstan, and Vanuatu.
These visitors filled local hotels and short-term rentals, boosting the entire hospitality industry.
Residents Also Came Out for the Games
One of the coolest parts of the World Cup was celebrating with friends and neighbors. More than 62 million people watched the final match between Argentina and Spain, with many fans following along throughout the group stages and knockout rounds. While it will take a few months to complete a full economic impact analysis on the tournament, several local Grapevine businesses capitalized on the event and welcomed customers seeking out good food, refreshing drinks, and space to watch the games.
"Our tasting room made a few small targeted marketing pushes, but we found that most folks coming in were happy to engage with our normal operations, which made programming for the event fairly straightforward," says O'Sheal. "I would say the tournament helped us immensely because it made the summer months, which are usually a little slow, much more exciting at Messina Hof. We had a strong second quarter this year, and I'm already excited to see how we did in Q3!"
The heartbreaking game where Belgium knocked out the United States brought fans out on a Monday night, filling local bars and restaurants. Not only did the World Cup provide an overall boost to businesses, but it also supported companies on nights that are historically slower.
North Texas is Ready to Host More Events
The lasting impact of the World Cup hasn't been fully realized yet, as it lies in events yet to be scheduled. The Dallas Organizing Committee proved that North Texas is capable of handling large-scale events and brings careful planning, good infrastructure, and welcoming communities to the table. On top of that regional effort, Grapevine's CVB team went the extra mile to showcase our City as a premier destination in DFW.
"Grapevine welcomes international travelers year-round as a Gateway to the USA and home to DFW International Airport, with more than 70 nonstop international flights each day," says Heather Egan, Director of Leisure and International Sales at the CVB. "More than two years before the FIFA World Cup™ came to North Texas, we positioned Grapevine as the ideal home base because of its easy access to the airport, stadiums, and attractions throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. During the World Cup, we welcomed fans to experience Grapevine's hotels, attractions, Historic District, restaurants, winery tasting rooms, galleries, shops, and all that it has to offer. Those visitors return home as ambassadors for Grapevine, sharing their experiences and inspiring future visits from family, friends, and colleagues."
The success from the past two months can bring additional opportunities, including sporting events, conferences, concerts, and other celebrations, to the Metroplex. No matter the crowd, the region is ready to welcome visitors.
Grow With Grapevine This Year and Beyond
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