[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6671514,"mediaKeyId","2159060-c3d405f3411ec641aa06e116ad5f7d26","parentId",2159060,"title","Host committee previews Fan Fest, volunteer program, ticketing and economic benefits","audioSeconds",880,"startMs",308000,"endMs",1188000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2159060-c3d405f3411ec641aa06e116ad5f7d26&start=308&end=1188","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2159060-c3d405f3411ec641aa06e116ad5f7d26/thumbnail_308000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6671514/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Host-committee-previews-Fan-Fest-volunteer-program-ticketing-and-economic-benefits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6671514-705580801878244056e247199d6c923d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771131623&Signature=nrVHuoi-DKvBZzCs~wJO~YLIk5KvdfvmKnfCdOCQm78i9GQIydOGJHtKnpwsJvNjDNmU-k0-YzGUM2DXBGuqcBz~6rvZu5ofb4WOFBsd-LblCb8FK6Wx2V8DpGmEbUuwoNtftzF6fHwpaazdPzRYX7dOGhpsr2dt9dJHnE9CoOoa-SmzqFWhjSJUDYqhYabt5mNxRsrk3QJnna2y2IbhzSUe5ZavIuHvniRM0yZrQ5LvrOrTbbQe9wG9E1au2D2uDm5wnZlNupJ6HpHOieA13l5yAmYthTCsad5aTUiMw0xjLKOSl8H~p1x5ss7uABKpab8WCcX6JUc~IiWVNMdSeQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Houston","date","2025-01-28T00:00:00Z","article","Host-committee leaders and Harris County officials outlined plans for a FIFA Fan Festival in Houston's EaDo district, a volunteer program, ticketing timeline and community benefits tied to World Cup 2026.

John Arnold, chairman of the FIFA World Cup 26 Houston Host Committee, called the Fan Fest a \"pathway for where many of our out of town visitors are gonna really get to soak up the culture and spirit of this city.\" Chris Kanetti, the host committee president, described the festival as a 39-day event with large screens, stages and entertainment to gather fans during the tournament and said the festival will provide an opportunity to showcase Houston culture.

Kanetti said the host committee has staffed up in recent months and now has a team of more than 20 full-time employees and more than 200 people participating on volunteer committees for safety, transportation, human rights, sustainability and legacy work. He said volunteer applications will be available before the end of the year and that the program will ultimately require thousands of volunteers.

On ticketing, Kanetti said FIFA controls ticket sales and that tickets will go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year. \"If anybody is interested in ticketing, what they need to do is go to the FIFA website FIFA.com/backslash tickets and register for tickets,\" he said. The host committee said hospitality suites and specialty packages are available now through the committee's offices.

Fundraising and corporate support were highlighted as enabling the host committee to stage elements of the event without municipal expense. Kanetti recognized corporate supporters including Coca-Cola, Houston Methodist, NRG, and Quanta Services and named donors CenterPoint Energy, Cheniere, Chevron, Sitco and Shell.

Elected officials highlighted efforts to ensure local economic benefit and broad participation. Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis said the host committee will track participation by small, women-owned and minority-owned businesses. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioner Leslie Briones noted the event's expected economic benefits. Hidalgo said estimates put the economic impact \"into the billions,\" and Briones said the region can expect \"over a $1,000,000,000 in economic impact.\" Officials connected the event to youth soccer investments and partnerships with local teams and nonprofits.

The committee and officials did not provide a breakdown of projected economic impacts, the method used for estimates, nor details on how the committee will measure small-business participation beyond pledges to track the data. Kanetti said the draw in December will assign which matches go to each host city and will trigger additional planning once specific match locales are known.

The host committee encouraged residents to follow official channels for volunteer, ticket and hospitality information and to expect further announcements later this year.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Houston - Press Conference: \"500 Days Until FIFA World Cup 2026\" - Jan 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At a 500-day press event, host-committee leaders and elected officials highlighted plans for a 39-day FIFA Fan Festival in the EaDo district, a volunteer program, fundraising successes and projected economic benefits, while urging inclusion of small and minority-owned businesses.","taxTitle","Houston, Harris County, Texas","taxId",2797,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6671519,"Officials emphasize security coordination for World Cup at 500-day event",180,1472000,1652000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2159060-c3d405f3411ec641aa06e116ad5f7d26&start=1472&end=1652","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2159060-c3d405f3411ec641aa06e116ad5f7d26/thumbnail_1472000.jpg","/articles/6671519/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Officials-emphasize-security-coordination-for-World-Cup-at-500-day-event","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6671519-678d66bc9313f25f365e7901a5681cde/orig.mp4?Expires=1771131623&Signature=kYTRl1jeIVib9l2AvVHfcH44Vx8ywTkDYeKlM2geleAH1sqk4-8po8srxNN1Dx36iKtuKuEElEiPhKwiI5tPpQqWEzHg15XrgrS8SUjBZBIx9bSlIoX1zp6ZqXqD0zwtGGxy2XWqR0Uxt08KufLU3clbASIMpgcq~FaFfV1z5EM-v0AWFwPOugfZ7NakPUeL3TVlVdOF9~db-vwSoA~pksMCootu7FfjCBC-rnNWu7EYo6Eq-09jQDnF75QUvnXvax4RtY6dbnH7rguuyiK7ITn0MK4CxFcXtGU5TylcFqq0Oc0Gg7qeaLuO1A4O7nYFPfEF1r8alHqU5PbYXQBYrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Harris County officials and the FIFA World Cup 26 Houston Host Committee told reporters the committee is prioritizing safety and security as Houston prepares to host seven matches in 2026.

Adrian Garcia, Harris County commissioner for Precinct 2, said security is \"always top of mind\" and thanked host-committee leaders for placing security at the forefront of planning. He said the committee has a security lead who is a former Houston Police Department SWAT commander and that threat assessment and coordination with city, county, state and federal partners is underway.

\"Security is always top of mind for me,\" Garcia said, noting recent violent incidents nationally as reasons to focus resources and planning. He said the host committee has been given \"full confidence\" that resources are being applied to assess threats and coordinate responses.

Chris Kanetti, president of the host committee, listed safety and security among the many work streams the committee is managing with FIFA and local partners, including HPD, the Houston Fire Department and the Office of Emergency Management.

Kanetti and Garcia said joint planning involves threat assessment and coordination across jurisdictions but did not provide operational details, specific security staffing levels, or budgets. They emphasized that those operational details are being developed with law enforcement and emergency-management partners.

Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Precinct 1, and other elected officials also said they support efforts to ensure residents and visitors feel safe during the tournament. The host committee said collaboration among public agencies, venue operators and private partners is a continuing focus as planning advances.

The committee did not disclose specific security protocols, contracts, or whether federal agencies had assigned personnel or funding to the event; those items were not specified in comments during the event.","Harris County and host-committee officials said security is a top priority, noting a dedicated security lead and coordination among local, state and federal agencies to assess threats and respond quickly.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6671522,"Host committee outlines stadium renovations, plans grass field after rodeo",868,1115000,1983000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2159060-c3d405f3411ec641aa06e116ad5f7d26&start=1115&end=1983","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2159060-c3d405f3411ec641aa06e116ad5f7d26/thumbnail_1115000.jpg","/articles/6671522/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Host-committee-outlines-stadium-renovations-plans-grass-field-after-rodeo","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6671522-47a4bb89e7732dfc931e4e8df3e3aea6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771131623&Signature=VPc8Ebgdmd6GT0UXNk0x7pBqmYYvhkW1sOwoFbh2gyiLFf5wU003lCdW8mmEWbRPgfrKnoYKLr-XF-GfiVPTidIxze57CqGDNrNXQdrXJANCV8w~dRgVTJKYOb7SgAfJHsJOpbhBACFJ2-STcNxbOj8xX4jRCe12FDjNU62No7qm3h~mcrHAyGrwIhYJTa3wO-hjOIH63Nx3toQlW2FrdMpnuuUkn89F7gDSed~9aG2gL5b34gH-D2IXyT3beN~hVc1BklSVMCI7V-vtzADOQFUupi64ovPJplWhhFgsfWP8rGqgsjCHyzTjib2qmOcBO~Y2jNvxKxXKJ1lhPV4rdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The FIFA World Cup 26 Houston Host Committee announced plans this week to modify the bowl at NRG Stadium and install a natural grass pitch after the 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

The work will include removing some corner seats to expand the pitch area to meet FIFA field-size standards and installing a grass field that must meet tournament quality for the duration of the event, the host committee said.

Chris Kanetti, president of the FIFA World Cup 26 Houston Host Committee, said the bowl modifications will begin this summer and that the grass-field work is planned to start in May 2026 after the rodeo. \"We have to put together a plan to be able to grow grass on the highest quality standard you could imagine, to exist in this facility for over 40 days,\" Kanetti said.

Kanetti said the stadium changes are driven by FIFA requirements for pitch dimensions and playing surface. He noted that most U.S. stadiums were built for the NFL and many require specific improvements to host World Cup matches. \"All of these stadiums were built for the NFL,\" he said. \"Each and every one of us in every city has to make some improvements to the stadium.\" He described the bowl modifications and grass installation as the two major projects necessary for Houston.

John Arnold, chairman of the FIFA World Cup 26 Houston Host Committee, said those projects are among many moving parts the city and partners must manage in the next year-plus. \"The next 503 days are gonna be a busy time for everyone in managing all the moving parts of this tournament, including safety and security, transportation, training sites, soccer legacy for the city, the volunteer program, fan engagement, and finances,\" Arnold said.

The host committee said final plans for the grass field will be completed in the coming months and that bids are being awarded for portions of the work. Kanetti said leading experts have worked on the grass plan for several years and that the committee is concluding plans and awarding bids.

Kanetti also said the host committee coordinated the stadium schedule around the rodeo: regular rodeo activity will occur in its normal time slot in 2026 and the field work will begin once that event clears the facility.

Details such as the contractors awarded bids, exact costs to install the grass and modify the bowl, and expected disruption to scheduled events were not specified.

The host committee emphasized planning to preserve playing-quality standards and meet FIFA's technical requirements while coordinating with local event schedules and venue operators.","The FIFA World Cup 26 Houston Host Committee said NRG Stadium will undergo bowl modifications this summer to meet FIFA pitch dimensions and a natural grass surface will be installed after the 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo clears the facility.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Host committee previews Fan Fest, volunteer program, ticketing and economic benefits

Officials emphasize security coordination for World Cup at 500-day event

Host committee outlines stadium renovations, plans grass field after rodeo