Dallas Sports Commission, Monica Paul, Executive Director

FIFA World Cup at AT&T Stadium in 2026
Monica Paul, Executive Director
Dallas Sports Commission

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As the Executive Director for the Dallas Sports Commission, Monica Paul plays an essential role in implementing bid strategies and marketing programs that enhance Dallas’ acquisition of sports competitions and events, including solicitation of Olympic, professional, collegiate and amateur sports. Paul also works closely with professional leagues, the NCAA, Olympic National Governing Bodies and amateur sports federations, promoting Dallas as a premier destination for events, conventions and meetings. Paul's efforts proved instrumental in Dallas being named a Host City for FIFA World Cup 26 and securing nine matches during the tournament, more than any other market in 2026.

Prior to joining Visit Dallas in 2008, Paul was the Associate Director of Events at USA Volleyball, where she oversaw the international events for the USA Women's and Men's National Teams and served as Director of Competition for the 2007 National Senior Games in Louisville, Kentucky. Before that, Paul served as Director of International and Domestic Events for USA Taekwondo, and Director of Events, Marketing and Sponsorships for the Junior Volleyball Association of Austin.

Paul earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education at the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Arts in Sports Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. She currently serves on the SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors, Cotton Bowl Classic Board of Directors, the Jason Witten’s SCORE Foundation Board of Directors, Women in Sports & Events (WISE) DFW Chapter Advisory Board, and the University of North Texas Sports Entertainment Management Industry Advisory Board. She was selected as the DCEO Non-profit and Corporate Citizenship Award Winner in Leadership Excellence in 2023, DCEO’s Dallas 500 in 2022-2024, Women in Business honoree by Dallas Business Journal in 2020, and in 2015 she was honored as one of Connect Sports’ Top IX Women in the Sport Tourism Industry.

Paul taught Contemporary Issues in Sport Management at Southern Methodist University and is also a licensed real estate agent and realtor.