Q&A: How the 2026 FIFA World Cup is impacting retail in Houston
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off this week, and 11 U.S. host cities are set to greatly benefit from the event.
The global soccer tournament will feature 104 matches between 48 national teams from June 11 to July 19, 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the United States. To learn more about how Houston, America's fourth largest city, stands to benefit in the commercial real estate sector from the World Cup, Chain Store Age spoke with Jason Baker, principal at Baker Katz.
How are retailers and landlords in Houston preparing for increased demand during the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Houston has a long track record of hosting major events, from Super Bowls, Astros World Series runs and NCAA championships to the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, so there’s a strong sense of confidence around what’s ahead with the FIFA World Cup. Current estimates are projecting roughly 500,000 visitors and $2 billion in economic impact tied to Houston alone.
Preparation efforts are especially visible across hospitality, transportation and entertainment hubs throughout Houston. With visitor demand expected to increase significantly, the city is continuing to invest in transit, circulation and walkability improvements surrounding NRG Stadium and other event areas. Houston also secured more than $9 million in federal funding tied to transportation upgrades ahead of the tournament.
What are some retail categories where elevated World Cup traffic could create especially large opportunities?
Food and beverage operators stand to benefit in a major way during the World Cup, especially bars, restaurants and entertainment-focused concepts that can capitalize on the heightened activity surrounding matches and fan events.
Sporting goods and soft goods retailers are also well-positioned. Operators like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Academy Sports + Outdoors and local businesses selling jerseys, merchandise and event-related gear are positioned to see a strong lift in sales as visitors explore Houston before and after matches.
[READ MORE: Numerator: World Cup could drive to up $7.5B in consumer spending]
What makes the World Cup unique is the fan base itself. These visitors tend to fully experience the cities they travel to, which creates opportunities for retailers well beyond the stadium footprint.
How do large-scale global events like the World Cup affect leasing, development and investment strategies in high-growth regions?
Events like the World Cup often accelerate infrastructure improvements and large-scale projects that continue influencing the market long after the event concludes. In Houston, there’s already considerable attention surrounding NRG Stadium and South Loop 610, along with broader investments tied to connectivity throughout the urban core.
Houston will host seven matches at NRG Stadium, with roughly 5 billion viewers expected to engage with the tournament worldwide. That level of exposure creates a tremendous opportunity to continue reshaping perceptions around the city and showcase the scale of investment and development already taking place across Houston. Activity across those high-growth areas will continue strengthening Houston’s appeal among investors.
What makes the World Cup a pivotal moment for Houston to showcase its growth trajectory and position as a leading market for long-term retail investment and development?
Houston is already seeing major activity across retail, mixed-use and urban development, making the World Cup a timely opportunity for the city. For years, many major global events were concentrated in markets like Los Angeles, Miami and New York, but Houston has increasingly proven it belongs in that conversation.
The city’s diversity also makes it uniquely positioned to further expand awareness and passion for soccer, a truly global sport. The FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee has introduced FREEKICKS Soccer as part of its broader “Grow the Game” initiative, which includes building and improving 23 soccer fields across Houston to help expand access to the sport in underserved communities. Beyond the tournament itself, initiatives like this will create a lasting community impact across Houston.
How can Houston capitalize on this moment to drive continued retail growth beyond the World Cup?
Much of the long-term retail opportunity connected to the World Cup will center around Houston’s urban core, particularly East Downtown Houston (EaDo) and the South Loop surrounding NRG Stadium, where there is already one of the city’s highest concentrations of people and event-related traffic. The Green Corridor will help connect NRG Stadium, EaDo, downtown and surrounding neighborhoods through improvements focused on accessibility, pedestrian comfort and walkability, making it easier for visitors to move throughout the area and engage with local businesses.
EaDo, in particular, is expected to benefit from the extended fan festival activity planned throughout the tournament, which is projected to bring between 20,000 visitors into the district daily during portions of the event. I believe that kind of foot traffic and accessibility will continue making areas like EaDo increasingly attractive to retailers long term.
