Fan Guide to Houston

Make the most of your match week in Houston: see more, stress less.

Introduction

Houston for World Cup 2026 Visitors

Houston is a sprawling, easy-to-navigate base for match week: METRORail links downtown, the Museum District, the Texas Medical Center, and NRG Park, so you can bounce between venues, parks, and food halls without a car. The vibe is big-city casual—tailgate culture meets world-class museums and green spaces along Buffalo Bayou. Between fixtures, pair mornings at Discovery Green or Hermann Park with afternoons in the Museum District or a NASA fix at Space Center Houston, then catch sunset on a downtown rooftop. The city leans welcoming and practical for fans: compact rail corridors, walkable arts zones, and plenty of air-conditioned escapes. Start in Avenida Houston, the pedestrian spine by the convention center, and work outward to Montrose and the Heights for dining and nightlife.

Fast Facts

Population (city/entidad): 2,333,346
Time zone: Central Time (UTC−5)
Airports: George Bush Intercontinental (IAH); William P. Hobby (HOU).
Currency: United States Dollar (USD).
Power & voltage: 120 V/60 Hz; plug types A & B are standard.
Weather snapshot (June–July): Hot and humid; typical daytime highs around the low-to-mid 90s°F and warm nights in the mid-70s°F; frequent afternoon thunderstorms.
Language: English
Drinking age: 21

The Pitch

NRG Stadium

Kansas City Stadium (FIFA name) at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, part of the Truman Sports Complex east of downtown (address below). World Cup capacity: TBA (FIFA reconfiguration varies from NFL setup). Roof: Open-air bowl. Primary transit: No rail; look for RideKC special-event buses and rideshare zones—Chiefs event pages note RideKC service options to the complex on select dates.

Stadium Basics

Location: NRG Park campus (NRG Stadium, 1 NRG Pkwy, Houston, TX).
Surface: Natural grass for FIFA World Cup 26™.
Getting there: METRORail Red Line to the Stadium Park/Astrodome area serving NRG Park.
Bag policy & payments: Clear bags up to 12″ x 6″ x 12″ (small clutch up to 4.5″ x 6.5″) when policy is in effect; venue operates cashless for many events—check event page.

Full stadium details

Match dates in Houston

June 14, 2026 — Group Stage
June 17, 2026 — Group Stage
June 20, 2026 — Group Stage
June 23, 2026 — Group Stage
June 26, 2026 — Group Stage
June 29, 2026 — Round of 32
July 4, 2026 — Round of 16

Inside Houston

Districts & Vibes

Base yourself around Downtown and Avenida Houston for the simplest game-week logistics: you’re on rail, next to Discovery Green, and a short hop to EaDo’s stadium district. From there, it’s a quick METRORail ride to the Museum District and Hermann Park for culture and cooldown time.

Montrose and The Heights skew indie—vintage shops, coffee, murals, and relaxed dining—while Midtown sits between Downtown and the Museum District with dense nightlife and easy transit. Stitch a day by pairing morning museums, an afternoon bayou walk, and dinner across Montrose or the Heights before a downtown nightcap.

Global Eats, Local Pours

Houston’s Food & Drink Hit List

For grazing, POST Houston’s massive food hall lines up global kitchens and bars with skyline-view rooftop lawns—ideal for pre- or post-match meetups. A few blocks away, the Houston Farmers Market (since 1941) is a daytime play for tacos, spices, and market snacks.

At night, follow corridors over single spots: Montrose for patios and chef-driven stalwarts; Midtown for bar-hopping close to the rail; Washington Avenue for lively late nights; and Avenida Houston by Discovery Green for easy, group-friendly choices steps from downtown hotels and events. The city’s brewery scene sprawls—use the DMO’s brewery guide to zero in on clusters before you go.

Iconic Houston

Must-Sees Between Matches

Start with the Museum District—home to the Museum of Fine Arts, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the Houston Zoo within leafy Hermann Park—so you can walk between marquee collections and the Japanese Garden in one go. Nearby, the Menil Collection anchors a serene art campus with the Rothko Chapel a short stroll away.

Downtown, Discovery Green is the fan-friendly lawn for festivals and watch parties, linking directly to the pedestrian-first Avenida Houston. Head west to Buffalo Bayou Park for skyline views, trails, and the eerie-beautiful Cistern tour; then pivot south to Space Center Houston for NASA artifacts and tram tours that thrill space and science fans.

Discover Houston Through

Local Experiences & Tours

Book a Buffalo Bayou Partnership boat tour from Allen’s Landing or Lost Lake to see the skyline and learn the city’s origin story from the water; add the guided Cistern tour for a striking, underground time capsule. Architecture Center Houston runs themed walking tours—art deco, downtown tunnels, or neighborhood deep dives—led by docents who keep it punchy.

Prefer DIY? The City’s civic art resources map public works across neighborhoods for self-guided photo walks. Inside the museums, look for scheduled docent-led tours (MFAH posts weekly options), handy when you’re squeezing culture between kickoffs.

Keep the Party Going

Fan-Friendly Nightlife

Avenida Houston and Discovery Green are proven gathering grounds for large outdoor events downtown—expect official programming and easy spillover to bars and hotels on game nights. For a soccer-centric buzz, EaDo (home to Shell Energy Stadium) fills with match-day energy and walkable pubs before and after games. Midtown remains a straightforward bar-hop right on the rail, with late-night eats to match.

Washington Avenue and the Heights deliver lively patios and taprooms if you want a change of scene without leaving the core; Downtown’s Theater District and Main Street add music venues and lounges within a compact grid. Use the DMO’s nightlife overviews to target clusters near your hotel.