As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, Houston is cleaning house and undertaking significant infrastructure improvements to prepare for the influx of international visitors that will descend on the city.
The municipality is addressing issues such as non-functional freeway lighting, deteriorating buildings and outdated public amenities to ensure a welcoming environment for fans.
But just how big is the scope of the event and the required improvements?
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Infrastructure overhaul
The city is set to host seven "Super Bowl-size" matches during the tournament, which is expected to bring in millions of fans from over 100 countries across the globe.
To prepare, Houston Public Works is prioritizing the repair of freeway lighting, particularly along Interstate 610 and U.S. Highway 59, where many lights are currently inoperative.
In internal emails, a maintenance manager at Houston Public Works noted challenges such as wire theft, a qualified labour shortage, unreported damage by unknown contractors and knocked down electrical services.
What’s more, aging infrastructure and coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation for lane closures have complicated these efforts.
The city is also focusing on demolishing "blighted" and "dangerous" buildings, including the old Greyhound station at 2121 Main Street and an old hotel at 801 St. Joseph’s Parkway in order to improve public safety and aesthetics.
In addition, the city is cleaning up graffiti, improving landscaping, restriping roads, fixing sidewalks and creating a new park for a month-long "fan fest" party.
Of course, all these upgrades will come at a cost.
Economic implications of hosting major world sporting events
Hosting a major world sporting event, like the FIFA World Cup, is a significant financial undertaking for any city.
For instance, the 2018 World Cup in Russia cost more than $14 billion, while the 2014 tournament in Brazil totaled approximately $11.6 billion.
More recently, Qatar spent $229 billion to host the World Cup in 2022, making it the most expensive such undertaking.
These investments often cover stadium construction, transportation upgrades and other infrastructure projects.
And while the 11 American host cities are requesting $625 million in federal funding to help finance the needed works, Houston’s own cost is projected to be around $70-$80 million — on par with the projected costs for other cities.
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The pros and cons
The potential benefits for host cities include infrastructure development, increased tourism and job creation.
For example, over the five years leading up to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, about 315,000 jobs were created annually. Workers’ income increased by about $5.61 billion (450 billion rubles), and small business profits grew by nearly about $10 billion (800 billion rubles). The country also welcomed 4.2 million tourists in 2018 — 10% more than it did the previous year.
In Brazil, World Cup-related investments helped finance rapid transit projects in three of the country’s largest cities: Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Recife.
And hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup could generate more than $5 billion in economic activity for North America. Additionally, host cities could see an estimated $160-$620 million in incremental economic activity, with “a net benefit of approximately $90-$480 million per city after accounting for potential public costs.”
Houston officials, specifically, are anticipating over $1 billion in revenue as a result of the event.
Plus, the city could benefit from improved infrastructure and investment in the sport and its incoming athletes in the long run.
However, there are also risks such as huge costs and budget overruns (Canadian host cities Vancouver and Toronto are already citing “substantial” increases).
Additionally, hosting such events can also lead to issues of displacement of residents (including lower-income communities), environmental concerns, questionable return on investment and underutilized facilities post-tournament.
Brazil’s 12 stadiums used in the 2014 World Cup cost 50% more than planned, and just six of the 35 planned transportation projects were completed on time.
The Popular Committee for the World Cup and Olympics claimed more than 170,000 people were displaced from their Rio de Janeiro homes for games-related purposes, while Beijing was reported to clear 1.5 million people from their homes for the 2008 Olympics.
Qatar is contending with an even darker legacy, standing accused in the deaths of migrant workers associated with hosting the event.
In addition, a study by the Wesleyan Business Review highlights environmental concerns, noting that the extensive event preparations can lead to increased pollution and strain on local resources.
In fact, some cities like Minneapolis, Chicago and Glendale, Arizona withdrew their bids to host in 2026.
It’s unclear what Houston’s balance sheet will look like when the event has come and gone, but it’s clear that it will require a lot of resources and massive upfront investments, impacting many Houstonians — whether or not they welcome the event in the first place.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
