The eyes of the soccer world will be on Houston as the sport’s biggest tournament takes over.
HOUSTON — The World Cup will take over Houston for three weeks stretching from June into July, and getting around the city from event to event could be challenging. Houston METRO will have enhanced transportation service to help soccer fans navigate the city, during the seven matches at that take place between June 14 and July 4. That includes extending hours, higher frequency, and expanded operations across its bus and rail network. Detailed information can be found on METRO’s website.
So, to start, here are the days of the matches that’ll take place at Houston Stadium, which is what NRG Stadium (soon to be Reliant Stadium again) will be called during the World Cup.
- June 14, 12 p.m. CT: Germany vs. Curaçao (Group Stage)
- June 17, 12 p.m. CT: Portugal vs. Congo DR (Group Stage)
- June 20, 12 p.m. CT: Netherlands vs. Sweden (Group Stage)
- June 23, 12 p.m. CT: Portugal vs. Uzbekistan (Group Stage)
- June 26, 7 p.m. CT: Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia (Group Stage)
- June 29, 12 p.m. CT: Round of 32 – Group C Winner vs. Group F Second Place
- July 4, 12 p.m. CT: Round of 16 (teams to be determined)
Extended rail and bus service
METRORail will operate extended hours from 5 a.m. until 1 a.m. throughout the tournament period, providing direct access to Houston Stadium via the Red Line. Service on the Red Line will run every six minutes during peak periods and every 12 minutes late at night, while the Green and Purple Lines will operate every 12 minutes with extended hours. Local bus service will also feature extended hours and increased frequency on key corridors and activity centers, with Park & Ride routes operating seven days a week instead of their normal Monday-Friday schedules.
Getting to the stadium
Fans heading to Houston Stadium can take the METRORail Red Line directly to the Stadium Park/Astrodome Station for just $1.25. Those coming from the Green or Purple Lines can transfer to the Red Line at Central Station downtown. For fans driving from outside central Houston, Fannin South Park & Ride offers $25 parking with round-trip rail service. It’s just one stop from the stadium.
Seven local bus routes also stop at or near Houston Stadium, with service running from early morning until after midnight. The West Loop Transit Center provides an additional park-and-ride option with free parking, where riders can take Route 211 to Fannin South Park & Ride and transfer to the Red Line.
Getting to the fan festival
The official fan festival will be held in East Downtown near Shell Energy Stadium, accessible via the Green or Purple Line at the EaDo/Stadium Station for $1.25. Fans can pay using multiple methods including physical or virtual RideMETRO Fare Cards, credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or cash on buses. Free transfers between METRO services are included for three hours when using fare cards or contactless payment.
METRO will have people stationed at key locations to provide on-the-ground help, while police presence will increase through a unified command structure. Additional vehicles will be staged at high-traffic locations to support the higher demand, and fares will remain unchanged throughout the tournament.
Getting to events from the airport
Visitors flying into Houston can hop on METRO’s 500 Downtown Direct, which connects both George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport to downtown. It runs every 30 minutes and costs $4.50 one way.
Extra help and security
METRO plans to stage extra buses at busy locations to handle the crowds. There will be more police officers around, working with regional partners through a unified command structure for quick communication and response. METRO Ambassadors will be posted at key spots to help riders figure out where they’re going.