NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, will welcome the world for seven matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, playing under its tournament name
Houston Stadium. Its air-conditioned, roofed interior is a major asset during the sweltering Gulf Coast summer.
The stadium in brief
Opened in
2002, NRG was the
first NFL stadium fitted with a retractable roof. It is home to the
Houston Texans and hosts the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. World Cup capacity is around
72,000. Climate control means kickoffs can be staged at midday without exposing players to extreme heat.
History
The stadium has twice hosted the Super Bowl (XXXVIII in 2004 and LI in 2017), along with NCAA Final Fours and major international friendlies, cementing Houston's reputation as a reliable big-event city.
2026 FIFA World Cup matches
Seven matches. Times are local (Central, UTC-5) with UTC in brackets:
- June 14 - Germany vs Curacao (Group E) - 12:00 PM local (17:00 UTC)
- June 17 - Portugal vs DR Congo (Group K) - 12:00 PM local (17:00 UTC)
- June 20 - Netherlands vs Sweden (Group F) - 12:00 PM local (17:00 UTC)
- June 23 - Portugal vs Uzbekistan (Group K) - 12:00 PM local (17:00 UTC)
- June 26 - Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia (Group H) - 7:00 PM local (00:00 UTC (Jun 27))
- June 29 - Round of 32 (1C vs 2F) (Round of 32) - 12:00 PM local (17:00 UTC)
- July 4 - Round of 16 (Round of 16) - 12:00 PM local (17:00 UTC)