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Houston, Texas (KTRK) — With more than two years remaining until the first match of the 2026 World Cup in Houston, local organizers are already deeply engaged in preparations.
The immediate focus is on crafting security and transportation strategies for what will be the largest event Houston has ever hosted. The expanded field of 48 nations in the ’26 World Cup means Houston will serve as a host city for the largest sporting event in history.
According to World Cup committee president Chris Canetti, Houston benefits from a well-established transportation framework, as seen in previous major sports events hosted by the city, including the Super Bowl, the Final Four, and the College Football Playoff national championship game. However, Canetti underscores that the World Cup is “on a different scale” with events planned daily over the entire five weeks of the tournament.
Canetti’s recent discussions with FIFA officials shed light on the immense number of visitors Houston will welcome. During the 2018 World Cup in Russia, for example, 40,000 fans from Peru flocked to a remote Russian host city, despite only 14,000 having tickets to the match.
The ’26 World Cup schedule comprises a record 104 matches. Janis Burke, CEO of the Harris County Houston Sports Authority, indicates that FIFA is collaborating with Homeland Security and the White House to facilitate the influx of fans from around the globe into host cities like Houston.
Canetti estimates the economic impact in the summer of ’26 to exceed a billion dollars for the region. Bishop James Dixon, chairman of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation, emphasizes that hosting seven World Cup matches at NRG Stadium is akin to hosting seven Super Bowls, with a potentially significant local economic impact. Dixon cites the 2017 Super Bowl, which generated an economic impact of $347 million for Houston, highlighting that it was just one game over one week.
The 2026 World Cup will bring seven matches to NRG Stadium from June 14 to July 4.
Fans will have to wait until late 2025 to learn which nations will play their World Cup matches at NRG Stadium.