Growing up in Gulfton, these two friends played soccer wherever they could find space. Now their neighborhood is getting something they never had as kids.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Harris County is riding the wave of FIFA World Cup excitement to build or refurbish soccer fields at 23 locations, many in low-income areas, with the goal of giving more kids access to the sport that has long been called the world’s game.
Mini pitches in Houston’s Gulfton neighborhood are among the latest to open, serving roughly 12,000 children who live nearby. County leaders say the fields represent a broader effort to turn World Cup enthusiasm into lasting opportunity for communities that haven’t always had it.
Soccer fan Christopher Parada, who grew up in the area, said access to safe spaces matters.
“It’s not a lot of resources out here for the kids. A lot of bad things happen in neighborhoods like this, so I feel like y’all give access to the kids to do something, to focus on something, it will be a lot better.”
Parada and his friend Jose Pena remember when finding a place to play meant making do with random fields or apartment courtyards. Looking at one of the Gulfton fields, Parada recalled what it used to look like.
“Back then it was dry. None of this was here.”
When asked if he remembered when the fields weren’t there, he said, “Yeah, it was just dirt and everything. I used to play in here too.”
One of the new additions is the Visa Street Soccer Park in Gulfton, a neighborhood with a large immigrant population. Precinct 4 County Commissioner Leslie Briones spoke at the ribbon cutting.
“As we prepare for the World Cup and we think about the legacy that we are going to leave behind for our community. I am proud to have this field.”
A separate mini pitch near the FIFA fan fest is also in the works. Precinct 2 County Commissioner Adrian Garcia described the vision behind it.
“We’re referring to it as ‘futbolito.’ And this is an effort to help bring more of the feeling and the essence and the reach of the World Cup.”
Garcia acknowledged that the sport hasn’t always been equally accessible.
“Soccer is an incredible sport. There was a time and it wasn’t necessarily affordable to all communities.”
The new fields are being funded by a mix of groups, with some receiving support from FIFA. County leaders hope the investment will pay off for years to come, long after the last whistle blows on the 2026 World Cup.
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