World Cup Houston Host Committee members have a lot of messages to share with the public in the final month before festivities kick off on June 14, but one directive was loud and clear at a press briefing on Monday: Take the METRO.
Host committee officials expect 500,000 people to visit Houston between mid-June and July 4, although they have emphasized that not all the guests will be in town at the same time. Seven World Cup matches are scheduled at NRG Stadium, rebranded as Houston Stadium, on June 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, and July 4.
A free Fan Festival is planned in East Downtown from June 11 through July 19, where people can watch the soccer matches on one of nine big screens and enjoy food, entertainment and family-friendly activities.
But there’s a growing concern from Houstonians about how the long-term event will affect their work commutes. Thus, the advice repeated at Monday’s media briefing was to take the METRO whenever possible, whether you’re an international traveler or a Houston resident.
Host committee officials say they’re confident that Houston has the capacity to accommodate the largest sporting event in the world and its fans, but they’re preparing for every possible scenario, including heat-related illnesses, a possible tropical storm, cyber attacks, human trafficking, immigration raids, infectious diseases and, of course, gridlock along Houston highways.
METRO’s goal is to make the light rail an easy choice for guests while keeping daily commuters happy, said Elizabeth Brock, chair of the transit authority’s board of directors. Buses will depart from Bush and Hobby airports every 30 minutes and go downtown, where travelers can connect to a rail line, bus or an on-demand service to take them to a hotel.
METRO’s service enhancements will run from June 7 through July 11, aligned with match schedules and major events. Service on the Red Line will run every six minutes during peak periods and every 12 minutes until midnight. Service on the Green and Purple lines will run every 12 minutes with extended hours.
Local bus and Park & Ride service will also be expanded. Bus service will operate with extended hours and increased frequency on key corridors and activity centers. Park & Ride routes will operate seven days a week with extended hours and increased frequency.
METRO Police Chief Ban Tien said Houston is equipped for moving a lot of people around NRG, as evidenced by huge sold-out concerts like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Metallica. The difference, according to the chief and others involved in World Cup preparations, is the duration of the event, which creates challenges, but they’re not insurmountable, Tien said.
The chief added that METRO’s service will continue to be safe, clean, accessible and reliable. “We’re staying true to our core mission,” he said. “This isn’t just lip service. We live by it.”
Kurt Luhrsen, METRO’s interim chief operating officer, said the transit authority’s software has been translated into trip-planning apps frequently used in other countries so there should be a seamless transition for those unfamiliar with the Houston rail system. “They can use the app they feel most comfortable with,” he said.
“What if something goes wrong?” a reporter asked Luhrsen at Monday’s briefing.
“Well, that’s not going to happen,” he said with a laugh. “We actually have plans to stage a number of buses around town, more so on game days, at key locations so we can respond if there is an incident. That might be a vehicle breakdown. Heaven forbid, if there’s an accident with a train or something, we’ll have the ability to respond. We’ll have drivers and buses ready.”
Industrial fans and misters will be installed at the METRO tents at NRG so people waiting for the next trip can stay cool.
Because vehicle traffic will be high in the hours before and after matches — which may coincide with commute times — Houstonians who aren’t headed to NRG but rather to or from work are encouraged to use METRO’s Park & Ride. At Monday’s media event, Tien showed reporters his radio system, which is equipped with translation software so all METRO officers can communicate with travelers in any language.
Throughout the World Cup, fares will remain unchanged. A trip to NRG is $1.25 one way, and a ride from the airport to downtown is $4.50. Users don’t need a METRO card or account. They can pay through a smartphone app or by tapping a credit card.
Houston committee members have pointed out that several other host cities have seized the opportunity to “price-surge” to make money off guests but that was never seriously considered by Houston METRO.
“We don’t want people to be anxious about it. The World Cup is going to be an expensive enough endeavor,” Luhrsen said. “We want people to use transit. We don’t want them to rent a car and move around town and contribute to the congestion.”
Houston Airport System Aviation Director Jim Szczesniak said his staff is treating the event like two World Cups: one for guests visiting Houston for matches and one for those connecting in Houston for a flight to one of the other host cities.
The goal at IAH, where most international travelers will be passing through, is to get people through customs in less than 30 minutes, Szczesniak said. They’ll be using “enhanced passenger processing” for American citizens, which matches a person’s biometrics to their passports so they can walk straight through customs and free up staff to process foreign travelers. Eight additional TSA lanes will be operating.
The airport websites are already translated into more than 200 languages. AI-simulated soccer experiences and photo booths will be set up throughout the airport to welcome guests to Houston. “We want to make sure you get the fever while you’re in the airport when you get off the plane,” Szczesniak said. “For those who are passing through, maybe they’ll come back to Houston another time because they just had a great time in the airport.”
Houston won the bid in June 2022 to become one of 11 U.S. host cities for the FIFA World Cup, and intense preparations have been ongoing for years, said Chris Canetti, host committee chair.
Although previously reported that FIFA would take ownership of NRG Stadium and install the pitch on May 1, that’s actually happening on Friday, May 15, officials said at this week’s briefing. Work is already underway, including widening the pitch area and updating signage in and around the stadium. The retractable roof will be closed for all matches to keep the stadium at 72 degrees.
“In just 34 days, we will hold our first match right here in Houston, as Germany, the four-time World Cup champions, will play Curacao, who are making their World Cup debut,” Canetti said. “As the event approaches and the excitement builds, we’re here to report that Houston is ready.”
