18 Jun Sometimes It Takes Visitors to Remind Us What We Have

By Tanya Ragan

Nearly two million visitors are expected to pass through North Texas during FIFA World Cup 2026 festivities.

And honestly? I wish they could stay longer.

I Have a Confession

I absolutely love the FIFA people.

I know next to nothing about soccer.

Seriously.

I couldn’t tell you if the World Cup happens every year, every four years, or every leap year.

But these people know how to have a good time.

At this point, I can identify countries by jersey color better than I can identify soccer rules.

I’ve spent a lot of time this year talking about Dallas. Downtown. Development. Growth. City Hall. Sports. Real estate. All-important conversations.

But over the last few weeks, something much simpler has reminded me why I love this city.

The visitors.

Downtown Dallas Feels Different

I walked into one of my favorite neighborhood pubs around 10 PM on a Tuesday.

Normally I’d recognize almost everybody in the room.

Not this week.

There were jerseys everywhere.

Different accents.

Different languages.

People standing outside talking.

It felt like one giant neighborhood party.

The manager was in the best mood because his staff was busy, the restaurant was packed, and everybody was making money.

And honestly, it was fun to see.

Maybe that’s what I’ve enjoyed most. People are just enjoying Dallas. Frankly, that’s been refreshing.

Going to the office may take me an extra fifteen minutes.

Parking is harder. Traffic is heavier. There are more people everywhere. And I don’t care. It’s worth every minute because the trade-off is energy.

The kind of energy you cannot manufacture.

You can feel it everywhere. Walking down the street. Sitting in a restaurant. Listening to visitors talk about Dallas.

Seeing Dallas Through Fresh Eyes

Over the last few weeks, I’ve met international visitors from all over the world exploring Dallas, Texas during FIFA World Cup 2026 festivities.

Last week, I spent 10 minutes helping a couple figure out how to get to where they were going.

Another group wanted to know where to find real Texas barbecue.

Someone else asked me where the JFK site was. Every conversation ended the same way. They were excited to be here.

That excitement reminds me of a group of Japanese investors I hosted earlier this year.

The Japanese Investors Taught Me the Same Lesson

Earlier this year I hosted a group of Japanese investors…

We toured properties in Downtown Dallas, went to a Mavericks game, explored the JFK Site, and talked about the future of Texas.

What I remember most wasn’t the business conversation.

It was their enthusiasm.

They were fascinated by how quickly Dallas continues to evolve.

They saw the skyline, the neighborhoods, the restaurants, the people, and the opportunity. Most importantly, they saw possibility.

And something funny happens when you’re showing your city to somebody seeing it for the first time.

You start seeing it differently too.

You stop focusing on what isn’t perfect.

You start appreciating what is.

People Are Paying Attention to Dallas

One thing I’ve noticed over the last twelve months is that nearly 90 percent of my inquiries have come from either out-of-state or international groups.

That isn’t an accident.

People are paying attention to Dallas.

They’re paying attention to Texas.

They’re paying attention to growth.

They’re paying attention to Downtown Dallas, North Texas, and the opportunities being created across the region.

And events like the World Cup only accelerate that attention.

As I’ve said before, I used to tell people I got to Texas as fast as I could.

Now I tell people I just got a head start.

And every day it feels a little truer.

I’ve watched parades from different countries move through the streets.

I’ve seen team buses escorted through downtown.

I’ve seen restaurants packed on weeknights.

Honestly, watching them discover Texas has been almost as much fun as watching the matches.

I still couldn’t tell you all the rules of soccer. But if Dallas gets to host this kind of energy again, sign me up.

The energy has been that much fun.

I Just Got a Head Start

We spend a lot of time debating Dallas.

Sometimes we forget to appreciate it.

Over the last few weeks, watching international visitors experience Downtown Dallas during FIFA World Cup 2026 has been a reminder that people all over the world still see something special here.

I used to tell people I got to Texas as fast as I could.

Now I tell people I just got a head start.

Turns out, the rest of the world is finally figuring out what many of us already know.

That Dallas is pretty special.