Last week, when the tiny island nation of Cape Verde chose Tampa, Florida as their team base camp, 48 of 48 of those camps were finalized. These FIFA-approved camps—training facilities and accommodations—are now set all over the country, from Boston (France), to Nashville (Japan), to Mesa, Arizona (Turkey), to San Diego (Switzerland and New Zealand).

Securing camps was a months-long process, with both teams and facilities setting preferences, and factoring in aspects like travel and heat. Sweden got paired up with Frisco, Texas, a city north of Dallas that is one of the fastest-growing hubs in America.

Talib speaks to Gloria Salinas and Josh Dill, economic development and tourism representatives, to discuss the city’s growth, its positioning as “Sports City USA,” how the unlikely Sweden-Frisco alliance came together—and what travelers from abroad might expect if they, like Sweden, choose Frisco.

00:00 Intro

01:36 Where Teams Set Up Shop

02:20 Surprising Camp Locations

04:26 Meet Frisco Leaders

05:39 Frisco Growth and Industry

09:14 Sports City USA Explained

11:36 Cowboys Club

14:46 Sports Tourism Strategy

16:03 How Base Camp Bidding Works

18:13 Travel Logistics and Budgets

19:31 FIFA Rules and Community Events

20:50 Heat Culture and Hotels

24:32 Residents and Local Business Plans

29:00 Hotel Demand and Visitor Mix

33:31 Getting Around DFW

34:21 Long Term Economic Legacy

36:58 Where to Eat in Frisco

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