Houstonians and international travelers have proven over the past two weeks that they’re not going to let a triple-digit heat index or flash flooding deter them from a good time of making lasting World Cup memories.
The festivities, however, have not been without challenges.
Soccer fans from across the globe reported long wait times at Houston METRO rail stations near Houston Stadium and at the Fan Festival in East Downtown on the local opening day, June 14.
METRO had already increased its service to offer Red Line transport every six minutes during peak periods and every 12 minutes late at night. The Green and Purple Lines are now moving riders every 12 minutes with extended hours, but they lacked capacity for an influx of customers when the Germany and Curacao match let out mid-afternoon on June 14. The Fan Fest also temporarily evacuated twice that day due to lightning strikes, prompting crowds to gather for long waits near the light rail stations in EaDo.
METRO Communications Director Anna Carpenter on Monday confirmed that the transportation service is now using NRG Center as a covered, air-conditioned overflow space for people who are waiting on light rail after a live match. They’ve also deployed 13 additional buses and added trains as needed to clear crowds and reduce wait times.
“No individual customer waited two hours to board transit,” she said in response to a question about the June 14 situation. “Following the first match, it took approximately two hours to clear the post-event crowds as thousands of people left Houston Stadium at the same time.”
“Since then, METRO has continued making operational adjustments to improve customer flow and reduce wait times. We have modified pedestrian movement patterns, increased signage, utilized NRG Center as a sheltered waiting area and cooling location for customers making their way to transit, deployed cooling buses to support fans during periods of extreme heat, and adjusted how trains are staged and loaded following events,” she added.
Chris Canetti, president of the Houston Host Committee, told the Houston Press on Monday that the World Cup festivities are “going great, couldn’t be better,” and nothing unexpected has happened. “It’s all come together the way we expected and more,” he said.
“All of the transportation plans have gone incredibly well,” he said. “METRO did an unbelievable job planning and preparing. I haven’t seen all the data yet but there’s been incredible usage of the light rail system so far.”
Crowds have fluctuated based on which teams are playing and whether the match is in Houston, Carpenter said in an email.
“We will continue evaluating each event and making adjustments as needed to improve the customer experience throughout the tournament,” she said. “While travel times can vary based on event demand, weather conditions and roadway congestion, transit continues to provide a reliable and cost-effective option for both visitors and local residents traveling to World Cup matches, Fan Festival events and destinations throughout Houston.”
Beating the Heat
Months before the World Cup came to town, members of the Houston Host Committee advised that their No. 1 concern was that the Texas heat was going to be a problem for guests — and even locals — who aren’t used to being outdoors for several hours at a time. Host committee officials reported 110 medical incidents on opening day of the outdoor Fan Fest.
Eighty-five people were treated at an on-site cooling center and 27 were taken to an on-site emergency medical center on the first day of the festival. Twenty-two of the medical emergencies were determined to be heat-related illnesses. Four people were transported to hospitals and two suffered heat stroke.
Since opening day, Fan Fest and the nearby overflow property, Shell Energy Stadium, haven’t issued a report on heat-related hospitalizations. Canetti said that, with more than 180,000 people passing through the venues over 11 days, 12 people have been sent to the hospital and “less than 10” of those were due to heat-related illness.
“There’s a couple of different parts to this,” he said. “One is mitigating the problems up front, trying to make sure that heat-related issues are limited. That was in part due to the design of the event, having shade structures, air-conditioned spaces, hydration stations and cooling stations. As a result of that being in place, our medical people have seen far fewer cases than they anticipated.”
The other part of the equation is swift response, Canetti said, noting that medical personnel have been able to treat most people on site who are feeling woozy from the heat.
In addition to the June 14 closures, Fan Fest, advertised as a free, open-to-the-public event on any day that World Cup matches are being played, closed for the day on June 15 and opened late on June 16 due to potential flooding and severe weather concerns. At least twice, Fan Fest has reached its capacity of more than 7,500 people at a time, and in those instances, guests are asked to go to a nearby overflow area at Shell Energy Stadium, Canetti said.
“That’s been part of the plan, and that’s happened beautifully on a couple of occasions, including when Mexico played and we got to capacity two hours before the match even started, and 20,000 people spilled into Shell Energy Stadium,” he said.
The Fan Fest Main Stage, where thousands of fans gather to watch matches and live performances, is covered with the “Magic Sky,” a giant tent that offers shade and feels about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the surrounding open air. Free water refill stations are posted throughout the festival zone where attendees can refill plastic water bottles that they’re permitted to bring in.
Air-conditioned spaces such as the Houston Hall food court, FIFA Fanatics gift shop and Esphera “immersive experience” are also posted throughout the fan zone, along with shade trees and picnic tables with umbrellas. Complimentary sunscreen and cooling towels are also distributed.
Upcoming World Cup Events
Although Houston will host its final match on July 4, the Fan Fest remains open as long as World Cup play continues through July 19. Some fans have complained about high prices for food and drinks, but the enthusiasm hasn’t waned despite a few logistical glitches.
Houstonians have embraced international travelers like Freddy, a German superfan who documented his stop in Houston by posting photos of a comped five-star hotel room courtesy of former Houston Texans standout JJ Watt, Texas barbecue with members of the Houston Police Department, a tour of NASA, a trip to see the Houston Astros at Daikin Park, and invitations to visit H-E-B and other Texas landmarks.
Another traveler from The Netherlands said Americans should thank God every morning that they live in a country that has Texas Roadhouse. While some wrote off the guests as grifters looking for free flights, hotels and meals, the overwhelming majority was pleased to see visitors from other countries enjoying American delicacies, free soda refills and, of course, Buc-ees.
Sunny skies are forecast this week as Fan Fest opened at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, June 22, and will remain open until 9 p.m. The day’s matches included Argentina vs. Austria at noon; France vs. Iraq at 4 p.m; Norway vs. Senegal at 7 p.m. and Jordan vs. Algeria at 10 p.m. Monday’s Fan Fest theme is “Legends of the Game.”
Clint Dempsey, one of the most accomplished players in U.S. soccer history and a CBS Sports analyst, will be on site at Fan Fest’s Houston Hall for a meet-and-greet from 3:30 to 5 p.m. The day’s entertainment schedule includes DJ WKD, a cultural celebration from Uzbekistan, Grupo Sexta Edicio, violinist Michael Prince and Houston rapper Lil Flip. Open play for kids is offered at the Fan Fest Aramco Arena from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Supporters of the Portugal soccer team are planning a massive fanwalk on Tuesday, June 23, ahead of the team’s noon match against Uzbekistan at Houston Stadium. Fans are expected to gather around 9 a.m. at the Smith Lands South parking lot near the Texas Medical Center. Uzbekistan fans are also planning a march at 9 a.m. Tuesday starting at Helix Park.
An estimated 25,000 Dutch fans marched through downtown to participate in the Oranje Fanwalk on June 20, and another 5,000 Swedish supporters created a fanwalk for their team.
“Together, the fanwalks transformed Houston’s streets into a vibrant celebration of international football, with supporters filling the city with national colors, chants, music and pre-match traditions,” Houston Host Committee officials said in a press release.
Canetti said he took his 21-year-old daughter and nephews to the Oranje Fanwalk and they described it as an experience of a lifetime. “It was awesome,” Canetti said. “We had fire trucks spraying people who wanted to get misted. We had people who live in the Rice Village area set up tables and pass out water. It was really unbelievable. That display has to go down as one of the greatest positive international events in Houston’s history.”
Following Tuesday’s Portugal vs. Uzbekistan match, there are just a few more chances to catch a World Cup match in Houston. Cabo Verde will face off against Saudi Arabia at 7 p.m. June 26 at Houston Stadium, and championship games are planned at noon June 29 and at noon July 4.
