Commute Solutions – Host Committee
April 8, 2026
THE COUNTDOWN IS ON!
64 days until the first match in Mexico City and the opening of the FIFA Fan Festival in Houston.
67 days, until the first match in Houston
23 Days until we start moving into NRG Park and building out the FIFA Fan Festival in EaDo.
WHO’S COMING TO HOUSTON
We have three (3) of the Top 10 teams in the world playing here. They include:
#6 Portugal
#7 Netherlands
#9 Germany
Saudi Arabia will play here one (1) time (#51 in the world).
DR Congo qualified for their first World Cup since 1974 (52 year Gap)
Sweden national football team missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Cape Verde, Curacao, and Uzbekistan will play here one (1) time.
These three (3) teams have qualified for the World Cup for the first time in history.
Knockout Round Schedule:
If the seedings hold, then Brazil and Japan will square off in Houston in the Round of 32 match.
The second most likely scenario is The Netherlands vs. Morocco.
There are too many variables to lay out the Round of 16 possibilities.
Will the eventual champion pass through Houston?
Portugal is one of the best teams in the world but has never won a World Cup.
The Netherlands is also one of the best teams in the world and seeking their first World Cup.
They have reached the final and lost on three (3) occasions.
Germany has four (4) World Cups.
Only Brazil has more with five (5).
The Houston FIFA Fan Festival:
Open 34 days of the 39-day tournament.
Planned for all 104 matches.
Opens June 11; closes July 19.
Free general admission.
500,000+ attendees expected.
Transportation Overview :
Our primary transportation challenge is moving the out-of-town visitors around:
From the airports to downtown
From downtown to the stadium
From downtown to the FanFest
Enhancing IAH Downtown Direct bus service.
Route 500 Downtown Direct extension to Hobby Airport will begin service on February 22, 2026
Will operate every 30 minutes, serving both airports and Downtown
Three additional Downtown stops to be added, enhancing connections to major hotel clusters and to multiple METRO bus and rail lines
Stage one stand-by bus at each airport to ensure service reliability and to provide extra service based on demand.
Transportation Overview Cont. :
Expanding Red Line service to NRG Stadium on matchdays.
Increasing route frequency
Use ambassadors and enhanced wayfinding to facilitate transferring between the Red Line and Green/Purple Lines at Central Station
Expanding Green/Purple Line service to Fan Fest
Expanding the Community Connector Program.
Adding more vehicles
Increased marketing and promotion
Enhance Park & Ride network with higher midday, late night and weekend service frequency feeding Downtown transit hub
Mary Schneider, Senior
Program Coordinator
Downtown Houston + April 8, 2026
LIFTOFF… TO A BETTER COMMUTE!
Agenda
WHAT IS COMMUTE SOLUTIONS?
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
HOW CAN I PREPARE?
HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE?
What is Commute Solutions?
Part of the Houston Galveston Area Council
Focused on improving how people get to work and around their communitie s
A leader in promoting multi-modal transportati on, beyond driving alone A provider of programs, tools, and education for commuters and employers
Why Does This Matter to the Downtown Workforce?
77002 zip code has the highest employment density within our region
Top 10 zip codes commuting into Downtown 20% of the Downtown workforce comes from these zip codes
2023 H-GAC
• Top congested corridors within the state are also the major corridors that will experience most of the FIFA related traffic
Modeled Weekday Fan Fest- Ingress
Modeled Weekday Fan Fest- Egress
Modeled Game Day Travel Times
Key Arterials During World Cup
1. Main St.
2. I-610 South Loop Frontage Rd.
3. Buffalo Speedway
4. Kirby Dr.
5. Fannin St.
6. Almeda Rd.
7. Greenbriar Dr.
8. Cambridge st.
9. Old Spanish Trail
10.W. Bellfort Ave.
11.N Brasewood Blvd
12.S Braeswood Blvd
13.Bellaire Blvd./ W Holcombe Blvd
16.Hirsch Rd
17.Scott St./York St
18.Elysian St
19.Emancipation Ave
20.Texas Ave
21.Congress St.
22.Chartes St
23.Caroline St
Everyday Commuters
• Your normal commute will look different
• You need alternatives for business continuity
calendars and know when events are stacked
Check Housto n Traffic
How Can I Participa te?
Know where the action will be Don’t be blindsided
Access our tools
Have a plan
Experience for the Locals
Once in a lifetime event
Fan Fest
Not just for ticket holders
Houston 2026 Business Readiness Playbook
A citywide effort to help Houston show up ready.
The world is coming to Houston.
Largest
World Cup in history
~6 Billion global viewers expected
48 Teams 104 matches across 3 nations
500,000+ visitors to our region
This is bigger than soccer.
Visitor experience = Downtown experience. Downtown sets the tone for Houston.
Every touchpoint shapes perception:
Restaurants + Bars
Streets + Sidewalks
Hotels + Hospitality
Safety + Security
Service + Welcome
If businesses are ready, Houston wins.
WHY WE BUILT THIS Readiness Limitations
✗ Information lives everywhere
✗ Rules are complex
✗ Businesses don't know where to start or who to trust
The Result:
A single, clear, usable playbook that answers every question in one place.
A practical guide for Houston businesses.
Designed to help:
�� Understand what’s coming
⚙ Prepare operations
Who's coming, when, and how activity flows through the city
�� Navigate the rules
FIFA, Clean Zones, watch party licensing, signage restrictions
Staffing, capacity, delivery, commute planning
�� Maximize visibility
Visit Houston tools, Football Fiesta participation, event submission
This is a sustained economic surge
39 Days
~15,000 Visitors/Day
The tournament window runs June 11 – July 19. Fan Festival activity flows through Downtown every single day.
Expected daily attendance at the FIFA Fan Festival in EaDo — right next to our neighborhoods.
Before +
During + After
Demand surges the night before matches, peaks on match day, and extends into late-night post-game gatherings.
Three things will define success.
Capacity
Can they handle the volume?
Compliance
Are they following FIFA + City rules?
› Know your legal occupancy limit & post it
› No unauthorized FIFA trademarks in marketing
› Staff up for match days AND the nights before/after
› Check if you're inside a Clean Zone (estimated activation May 28)
› Pre-ordering, reservations, timed entry, think it through now
› Watch party rules vary, understand your category
3 Customer Experience
Do visitors feel welcomed, safe, and impressed?
› Brief all staff on cultural awareness
› Power wash exterior, repair signage, clean windows
› Help visitors navigate, wayfinding matters
This is not just a Downtown tool.
��️ Designed for all Houston businesses
�� White-labeled for partner distribution
Any business in any neighborhood can use this guide
Neighboring districts and organizations can brand and share this resource as their own readiness toolkit.
�� Already seeing demand from other districts
�� A citywide readiness effort
Early interest confirms this fills a real gap
This is DTH+ leading on behalf of the whole city
We're all on the same team.
City of Houston
› Traffic management & street closures
› Safety & security coordination
› Event permitting & oversight
Districts & Partners
› DTH+, Midtown, EaDo, and beyond
› Distributing readiness resources
› Coordinating local business support
Businesses
› Executing at street level
› Delivering the visitor experience
› Driving the economic benefit Regional Network
› Visit Houston destination marketing
› METRO & HGAC transit operations
› Sports authority & FIFA host committee
YOU
ARE PART OF THIS.
Visitors won't remember just the matches. They'll remember how Houston felt.
�� Explore the playbook
�� Share it with your networks and member businesses
�� Help us make Houston unforgettable
