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FROM THE PITCH FROM THE PITCH

ZIYĀ Image by Ma

Building A

A one-of-a-kind sculpture made from reclaimed Texas metals fuses fútbol’s iconic Golden Boot with the Texas Spur, honoring both global passion and local pride. With a donation, your name will be engraved on a commemorative brick surrounding the sculpture, creating a permanent mark that carries your legacy forward.

FROMTHEPRESIDENT

Can you believe it less than 40 days until the FIFA World Cup 2026?

Here in North Texas, the energy is building Our team is deep in final preparations, and the momentum across our region is undeniable

In April, more than 125 volunteers joined us at Churchill Park to plant 50 trees an effort that reflects both our commitment to sustainability and the spirit of service that defines North Texas

We also continued important conversations at EarthX, where our Chief Sustainability Officer Meghna Tare helped lead a panel on the power of sports and sustainability That dialogue carried forward through our Human Rights Conference, convened by Chief Human Rights Officer Minal Davis alongside an exceptional group of global and local leaders focused on equity, accessibility, and community impact

The excitement is also becoming tangible Our team visited the FIFA World Cup 26™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola at the Cotton Bowl, sharing in the anticipation with fans and getting a close look at one of sport’s most iconic symbols

We closed the month with the unveiling of the Official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Volunteer Uniforms at our Volunteer Center in Fair Park Seeing our volunteers step into their roles was a powerful reminder of the people who will help bring this tournament to life.

Now, our focus turns fully to the final stretch. We are ready and we look forward to welcoming the world to North Texas very soon

Cheers,

Monica Paul, NTFWCOC President

Monica Paul, Brett Johnson, Thomas O'Sullivan, and Bill Roth

THENORTHTEXASFWCORGANIZINGCOMMITTEE UNVEILSOFFICIALFIFAWORLDCUP2026™ VOLUNTEERUNIFORMS

The North Texas FWC Organizing Committee unveiled the Official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Volunteer Uniforms today at Fair Park with a live model reveal, giving the media a first look at what volunteers will wear during the tournament

With nearly 40 days until kickoff, the event marked another step forward for the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee Host City Supporters and partners, including the City of Dallas and Fair Park, which has served as the training site for volunteers across the region.

Designed by Adidas, the uniform features bold colors, lightweight materials, and the FIFA Volunteer Program’s heart-shaped pattern highlighting the role volunteers play across stadiums, the FIFA Fan Festival™, and key sites throughout the city

The kit also includes Dallas-specific patches, giving volunteers a way to represent the host city

Rolando Tovar de la Paz, Ed Olvera, Daniel Earl, Nina Vaca, Eunice Doehring, Fara Ajani

The reveal featured local volunteers modeling the uniforms, highlighting the people who will help bring the event to life across key roles and venues. Among them were a nurse from Irving serving on the Competition Management team, a longtime Dallas volunteer leader who first worked the 1994 World Cup and will now serve as Airport Volunteer Captain at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and a North Texas teacher and coach stepping into a FIFA Fan Fest Volunteer Leader role

Also featured was a Plano-based Ceremonies volunteer with prior FIFA experience, who shared that the opportunity to connect with people from around the world and be part of the tournament’s energy is what keeps him coming back. Separately, another volunteer serving on the Access Management team at Dallas Stadium said that connecting with people from around the world is what draws him to the experience

More than 5,000 volunteers from across North Texas will support tournament operations this summer, helping welcome fans from around the world

Fara Ajani

BUILDINGASUSTAINABLEFUTUREFORSOCCERIN NORTHTEXAS

By Kevin Utz

April was a busy month for Meghna Tare, North Texas FWC Organizing Committee Chief Sustainability Officer, as several of her sustainability initiatives occurred throughout the month

Although FIFA provided a sustainability framework, Tare relied on her 15 years as the UT Arlington Chief Sustainability Officer and her professional relationships with the local governments to build a sustainability plan that best fit the needs for North Texas entering this summer ’ s tournament after she was hired to lead these efforts by Monica Paul, President of the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee

April highlighted many of these programs as they were put in motion while promoting sustainability, but Tare has been implementing these programs over the past few months while also incorporating sustainability in the infrastructure of the FIFA Fan Festival™ Dallas at Fair Park

These programs are needed to mitigate the environmental impact of North Texas because of the increase in consumption caused by the visitors attending any of the nine matches held at Dallas Stadium in Arlington or FIFA Fan Festival™ Dallas

One such program promoted green spaces and air quality through the planting of trees in the cities of Arlington and Dallas with more plans to do this in other cities in the near future.

The trees will help reduce the environmental impact and provide a longer-lasting impact on the city after FIFA World Cup 2026™ has passed

“Everybody who lives in a congested city wants to have an open space, a park where they can go exercise, walk their dogs or have clean air to breathe in,” Tare said

Ben Swanger, Meghna Tare, Riley Nelson, Michael Kraus, Sarah Hussain

BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR SOCCER IN NORTH TEXAS

In Arlington on March 27, 18 trees were planted by more than 35 volunteers at Dr Robert Cluck Linear Park That was followed up in Dallas, as 50 trees were planted at Churchill Park on April 11 with the help of 125 volunteers

Stacey Segal drove past the park filled with trees she helped plant on April 11 As the Ann & Nate Levine Academy Athletic Director, Segal values green spaces as well as parks and recreation When she goes to a park, Segal immediately looks for shade, provided by the trees.

Her group of volunteers planted four trees and gave each tree a name Three of the trees were named after the FIFA World Cup 2026™ mascots: Zaiu, Maple and Clutch The fourth tree was planted across from those trees and named after Allie Dunlap, North Texas FWC Organizing Committee Director of Volunteer Services

Segal will be working under Dunlap this summer as part of the FIFA Volunteer Program this summer

One of the volunteers’ responsibilities will be directing people to the hydration stations, recycling stations and compost bins across Fair Park. These stations are expected to mitigate the waste produced during the festival The volunteers will also educate the guests about how to properly dispose of the waste

In volunteer training, Tare talked to the volunteers for an hour about the FIFA Fan Festival Segal said that her sustainability habits have changed because of her education on sustainability that was led by Tare She appreciates the education that Tare and the FIFA World Cup are bringing through these different initiatives

The month of Sustainability concluded on April 21, as the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee took center stage as part of the EarthX Conference, with Tare among other committee members having roles during the conference

Known as “The Power of Sports and Sustainability,” Tare created the panel that included the perspectives of FIFA Head of Environment, Sarah Hussain, Interim Executive Director of Green Sports Alliance, Michael Kraus and NASCAR Head of Sustainability, Riley Nelson The panel discussed how sports have the power to educate people on sustainability

“It was inspiring to see how the most influential cultural platform – sport - can accelerate environmental leadership and drive real-world action,” said Tare. “We dove deep into how mega events like the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026™ can serve as a catalyst for urban development, climate resilience, and lasting community impact

“As we look toward 2026, the goal remains clear: to ensure our regional efforts are environmentally responsible, economically beneficial, and socially inclusive Together, we are setting a new standard for what a global sporting legacy can look like”

More information on what sustainability will look like this summer and beyond can be found online: https://wwwdallasfwc26com/dallas2026/sustainability/

Right: Ben Swanger, Garry Gilliam

Go behind the scenes and experience the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Dallas Stadium like never before. The FIFA World Cup 2026™ Stadium Tour gives you exclusive access to locker rooms, media zones, premium areas and iconic pitch viewpoints.

Led by expert guides, each tour brings the stadium’s matchday transformation to life offering insider stories, operation insights, and a deeper look at what it takes to host the world’s biggest sporting event.

This is a limited-time experience, available only during the tournament. Select your date and time to secure your spot.

By Kevin Utz

Monica Paul, President of the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee, was one of the keynote speakers for the Texpo Conference on April 13 held at the Gaylord Texan

After she finished speaking, Paul received a donation to the North Texas Sports Foundation, which she spoke about in her hour-long presentation

Legacy was one of the topics discussed at the three-day financial conference Paul explained everything she and the committee have been working on since 2017, when Dallas began its bid process for the FIFA World Cup 2026™

Maple™ the Moose, Zayu™ the Jaguar, Jessica Key, Monica Paul, Archie Woods, Clutch™ the Bald Eagle

SETTING THE FORMATION FOR GREATNESS

Through the process, Paul explained how she worked with FIFA to create branding for Dallas and attract fans to the city and the North Texas region, while hosting a tournament-high nine matches

Paul explained the branding process and her excitement with the poster created by Matt Cliff that incorporated different parts of Dallas and the North Texas region. Other topics included the transportation plan for the games, the International Broadcasting Center and the FIFA Fan Festival™ Dallas.

When she received the donation, Paul emphasized that the North Texas Sports Foundation is an important piece to deliver on the legacy of Dallas being a host city

While the North Texas Sports Foundation is one way to show the legacy of the FIFA World Cup, there will be a Texan Golden Boot statue built in Arlington, serving as a physical legacy of Dallas hosting the World Cup

More Information on how Paul and the committee are promoting the legacy of the World Cup can be found online at: https://wwwdallasfwc26com/legacy/

Micah Fewin, Angela Carmichael, Maple™ the Moose, Jenny Kerzman, Zayu™ the Jaguar, Jessica Key, Monica Paul, Archie Woods, Clutch™ the Bald Eagle, Angie McIrvin, Tiffany Morlock

The North Texas FWC Organizing Committee joined the City of Dallas and the Dallas Park & Recreation Department during a community tree planting event at Churchill Park, as 50 trees were planted alongside city leaders, partners, volunteers and local residents to support regional sustainability initiatives ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026™

Over 125-plus volunteers joined project partners, community members and Official World Cup 2026™ Dallas Host City Supporters to encourage and support long-term environmental improvements while advancing green space in Dallas and the surrounding communities.

“Partnerships are vital to helping Dallas protect the environment,” said Brett Johnson, conservation manager with the Dallas Park and Recreation Department. “As stewards of the city’s natural resources, we are working to increase tree canopies through planting events throughout the city Trees are beautiful to look at, and they provide communities with cleaner air, cooler spaces, and greener parks”

The North Texas FWC Organizing Committee has positioned itself to showcase the region’s passion for soccer while also strengthening its commitment to a greener, healthier and more resilient area

Volunteers come together to plant trees in Dallas, Texas

BEYOND THE GAME BRINGS MEANINGFUL HUMAN RIGHTSCONVERSATIONTONORTHTEXAS

“Hosting the FIFA World Cup is not just about delivering a world-class event, it is about defining who we are as a region Human rights must be at the center of that responsibility From how we protect vulnerable populations to how we treat every worker, volunteer, and visitor, our actions must reflect dignity and respect at every level This is our opportunity to show the world that North Texas leads not only in scale and execution, but in values When the final match is played and the global spotlight moves on, the true measure of our success will be the lasting impact we ’ ve made in strengthening our communities and advancing human rights for all” - Monica Paul

The North Texas FWC Organizing Committee recently hosted Beyond the Game, a powerful and thought-provoking public forum that examined the human rights responsibilities tied to hosting the world’s largest sporting event. Led by Chief Human Rights Officer, Minal Davis and held at the Hilton Anatole Dallas, the event brought together global advocates, local leaders, and industry experts for an informative, educational, and moving conversation centered on the human impact of FIFA World Cup 26™

The program featured inspiring remarks from keynote speaker Kely Nascimento, founder of The Impact Game and daughter of Pelé, alongside impactful discussions on human trafficking prevention, accessibility, housing, worker dignity, and safeguarding vulnerable communities

Panelists included leaders from FIFA™, the City of Dallas, Housing Forward, A21, and global human rights organization Equidem.

Grounded in the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee’s Human Rights Action Plan, the event reinforced North Texas’ commitment to creating a lasting and meaningful legacy beyond the pitch. Beyond the Game served as an important reminder that the success of FIFA World Cup 26™ will not only be measured by what happens inside the stadiums, but by the positive and lasting impact created throughout the community