BEHIND THE BANNER
THE WORLD’S SPOTLIGHT TURNS TO DALLAS, NORTH AMERICA
By Stephen Evans
Dallas and its fellow FIFA World CupTM host cities are now on the clock. And the bar has been set high.
On the heels of what many soccer enthusiasts are calling the greatest FIFA World CupTM finals match ever, a contest that saw Argentina defeat France in a penalty shoot-out after both teams scored goals in extra time, all eyes have turned to what is quickly becoming our continent’s most anticipated FIFA World CupTM ever.
In 2026, FIFA will bring the FIFA World CupTM back to North America, and Dallas will play a major role in the ultimate success of international sport’s greatest championship event. And for its part, the those charged with ensuring that this spectacular event lives up to its world-class potential are already working tirelessly to exceed those very lofty expectations.
But the work didn’t just start on June 16 when the city of Dallas was named one of 16 host cities for the 2026 FIFA World CupTM . That was just one of
many milestones achieved during this decade-long process.
Monica Paul, the Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission, has envisioned Dallas being a host city for many years.
Recently she was at the FIFA World CupTM, this time in Qatar, as part of several waves of Dallasarea representatives visiting in official capacities as part of their 2026 preparations.
“We initially began work on this back in 2009/2010 when the bid for the 2018 FIFA World CupTM was released. We then visited Russia in 2018, and that really started the process for us,” Paul said. “We were able to see the landscape, the scope of everything, and how different the World Cup is from all of the other major events we have hosted. That was done on our own as a holistic early approach.
“The trip to Qatar was part of the official Observers Program. Our group spent three days and went to
three matches. We were able to see exactly how FIFA operated the staff headquarters, the transportation system, the IT infrastructure, how they distributed uniforms and their volunteer check-in. We were also able to see France’s training venue, the VIP set-up, the fan fest operations, partner and sponsor activations, how they secure the perimeter, and how they execute their local branding and awareness programs among many other things.”
In all, the visits were designed to provide in-person technical assessments over and above what is presented in the FIFA host city manual. Other members of the Dallas contingent who were in attendance during various parts of the Qatar World Cup included representatives from Arlington Police Department, Fair Park, AT&T Stadium, and turf management.
“It was eye-opening,” Paul said of the visit, “and we still have a lot to do. In 2023 we will be establishing our host committee and getting the right people in the right positions to provide support to FIFA.
The final roles for each of the 16 host cities have yet to be determined and likely will not be until late 2023 at the earliest. Dallas hopes to be a centerpiece of the 2026 FIFA World CupTM , including hosting a number of matches and the finals in AT&T Stadium. Other roles could include hosting semifinal matches, hosting the International Broadcast Center as it did in 1994, and serving as the host training center for select national teams.
“We will continue our efforts to secure the finals and the semifinals,” Paul said. “At the same time, we will begin to start developing our host city supporter program and a donor program. It takes an incredible amount of resources to host the FIFA World CupTM. But we also want the event to leave a lasting legacy in our region once the 2026 FIFA
World CupTM is over. Our hope is to be able to grow the game even more and establish a number of soccer fields across the region to provide training opportunities for players and coaches in underserved areas. That will be just one part of our legacy initiatives, but those developing and executing initiatives will be as important as anything we do over the next four years.”
A process that began before the 2018 FIFA World CupTM in Russia and wove its way through the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will have the world descending on Dallas for what FIFA president Gianni Infantino promises to be “much, much bigger” than previous FIFA World CupTM events. Dallas will be ready, but the work and preparations have just begun.
BEHIND THE BANNER
a legacy on and off the court
By Stephen Evans
Nancy Lieberman is a pioneer in the sport of basketball. Nicknamed “Lady Magic” because she was considered the Magic Johnson of the women’s game while playing at Old Dominion University, Lieberman was a three-time All-American and was the first player ever to win the Wade Trophy twice.
At 17 years old, she became the youngest, and to this day remains the youngest, player ever to play for the U.S. Olympic team for both men and women. At age 50, she became the oldest player to take the
court in the history of the WNBA. She was the first woman to be the head coach of a men’s professional team for the NBA G-League’s Texas Legends and the second female to serve as an assistant coach in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings.
But today Lieberman’s name is synonymous with something else – giving.
Nancy Lieberman Charities has become a leader in giving back to those communities that impacted
her life and allowed her to grow as both an athlete and a person. Formed in 2009 with the vision of changing the lives of disadvantaged children, the organization’s goal is to help guide and empower youth to allow them to be better positioned to make positive choices for their future. Education and wellness is at the heart of its many programs, including Basketball Camps, Laptops for Love, Back-2-School Backpacks, The Nancy Lieberman Educational College Scholarships, Cops and Kids, and STEM and Civic Engagement programming.
As recently as December, Nancy Lieberman Charities was again at work in the Dallas community, working to engage young people with the cops that serve them. On December 7, Nancy Lieberman Charities’ Shop With A Cop program brought together youth and officers from multiple Dallas-area jurisdictions to shop together at the Under Armour store in North Park Mall. The police helped the young people budget and select items and navigate the checkout process. The kids received needed clothes while also forming cordial relationships with law enforcement personnel.
“We have so many amazing police officers, men and women from all different jurisdictions,” Lieberman said after the event. “We have 100 kids and we divvy them up (with the police officers). They shop and they ask them what color, what shoes, does this match. It’s a real wonderful day of camaraderie.
Dallas Police Department Assistant Chief Angela Shaw added, “We are able to give back to the kids that are in our community. They are out here buying clothing and shoes they need to help them in school. A lot of them play sports. One little boy said he got a good pair of basketball shoes, and that just brings it to your heart. The most important things we’ve been leaving them with is as they grow up and get older to pay it forward and don’t forget the experience they went through today.”
The organization also set another substantial
milestone for giving in 2022. Through its annual Dream Ball Gala, Nancy Lieberman Charities set an event record for fundraising, bringing in more than $1.1 million through sponsorships, auction, raffles, and other donations. The funds were earmarked for programs to help underserved kids through scholarships, basketball courts, and more.
“At the Dream Ball, people enjoy themselves and raise money to help children,” Lieberman noted. “We also try to give them takeaways from that stage that will impact them for a lifetime.”
The evening honored three individuals. Jon Ponder received the Inspired Impact Award, presented in conjunction with Heal America, for his work with HOPE for Prisoners. Inspirational Award Recipient Makayla Noble and her presenter, former NFL linebacker turned adaptive training philanthropist David Vobora, mesmerized the audience with the story of how she persevered through a catastrophic accident. And trailblazing tennis star Martina Navratilova, in the receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, reminded the audience of how she broke away from the former Czechoslovakia to find freedom of speech and more and to never let themselves be silenced.
To conclude the night Navratilova joined Lieberman on stage with Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee, former WNBA star Ticha Penicheiro, U.S. soccer legend Julie Foudy, and Basketball Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings for a round table discussion about the impact Title IX legislation has had for women like them.
As part of the panel’s concluding remarks, JoynerKersee told the crowd, “I think it’s very important that you have a vested interest in women’s sports. And that vested interest’s return to an investment that will have an impact on the young girls, young boys, and young women trying to carry this journey that we’ve all been trying to do for 50 years. Let’s make it another celebration of 50 years for Title IX.”
BEHIND THE BANNER
9 16 23 30 22 29 11 18 25 20 27 10 17 24 31 12 19 26 14 VS. CGY VS. MIA VS. ARI VS. BOS VS. NOP VS. ATL VS. DET VS. NJD VS. CAR VS. WASH VS. BUF VS. LAC 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 6:30 PM 1:00 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 6:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 21 8 13 BEHIND THE BANNER 15 28 the pros at home in january
