USA · FIFA World Cup 2026
Houston Travel Guide
Seven matches at NRG Stadium — Texas's largest World Cup venue
🏟️ 1 host venue⚽ 7 matches✈️ 2 nearest airports
Host venue
About Houston
Houston's NRG Stadium hosts seven World Cup fixtures. The venue is a covered, retractable-roof stadium seating 72,000 — the largest football-capable stadium in Texas for the tournament.
Houston is the most diverse big city in the US and has a proper public transport spine to the stadium — the METRORail Red Line runs directly from Downtown to the NRG complex.
Every World Cup match in Houston
| # | Date | Kickoff | Match | Round | Venue | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Sun, 14 Jun 2026 | 12:00 | Germany vs Curaçao | Group E | NRG StadiumHouston | Compare → |
| 21 | Wed, 17 Jun 2026 | 12:00 | Portugal vs DR Congo | Group K | NRG StadiumHouston | Compare → |
| 33 | Sat, 20 Jun 2026 | 12:00 | Netherlands vs Sweden | Group F | NRG StadiumHouston | Compare → |
| 45 | Tue, 23 Jun 2026 | 12:00 | Portugal vs Uzbekistan | Group K | NRG StadiumHouston | Compare → |
| 63 | Fri, 26 Jun 2026 | 19:00 | Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia | Group H | NRG StadiumHouston | Compare → |
| 76 | Mon, 29 Jun 2026 | 12:00 | Round of 32 Match 4 | R32 | NRG StadiumHouston | Compare → |
| 90 | Sat, 4 Jul 2026 | 12:00 | Round of 16 Match 2 | R16 | NRG StadiumHouston | Compare → |
🏘️ Where to stay
- • Downtown Houston — convention hotels, 20 min to NRG on METRORail.
- • Midtown & Montrose — best bar and restaurant strips, 15 min by train.
- • The Galleria / Uptown — upscale hotels, 30 min by car.
- • Third Ward / Museum District — museums, near Rice University, 10 min to stadium.
🚆 Getting around
- • METRORail Red Line: Downtown to NRG in 20 min, $1.25.
- • Bus Rapid Transit Silver line connects Uptown to the Medical Center, connecting onto rail.
- • IAH airport to downtown: 45 min by bus, 30 min by Uber.
- • Don't drive on matchday — the 610 Loop congests 3+ hours around kickoff.
🍽️ What to eat
- • Tex-Mex and true Mexican — El Real Tex-Mex (Heights) or Hugo's for upscale.
- • Vietnamese — Houston has the largest Vietnamese population of any US metro.
- • Texas BBQ — Killen's BBQ is the local gold standard, 30 min drive out.
🛡️ Safety & matchday tips
- • Summer heat + humidity is brutal — stadium is climate-controlled but allow extra hydration.
- • Avoid neighborhoods south and east of downtown at night.
- • NRG Stadium is cashless; contactless or mobile wallet only.
🎉 Fan zones & atmosphere
- • Discovery Green — downtown park hosting Fan Festival events.
- • NRG Park complex — includes Astrodome and concert spaces; pre-match tailgate culture.
✈️ Nearest airports
- IAHGeorge Bush Intercontinental
- HOUWilliam P. Hobby
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