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Harris County, TX, January 31, 2026 –Harris County will enhance 25 park facilities around the county and promote youth soccer engagement in the community ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, as part of an agreement that Commissioners Court approved with the Sports Authority Foundation to support the FREEKICKS Soccer Program.

“Growing up in Latin America, I’ve seen the power of soccer as a common language that can bring people of all backgrounds together and empower communities. Not only will the FIFA World Cup bring an incredible economic impact to our community, but it will help us improve our park infrastructure and further unite Harris County around a common language: soccer. I’m grateful to the Sports Authority Foundation and the Houston Host City Community for giving back to our community ahead of the World Cup this summer,” said Judge Lina Hidalgo.

The Sports Authority Foundation and the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Houston Host City Committee have identified 25 fields in Harris County for improvement as part of the FREEKICKS program:

• Precinct 1: Alabonson Park (3 fields) and Blue Ridge Park (2 fields)
• Precinct 2: Moody Park (4 fields) and Keith-Wiess Park (4 fields) through an interlocal agreement with the City of Houston
• Precinct 3: Will build 8 new soccer fields at Baytown Soccer Complex
• Precinct 4: George Bush Park (4 fields)

By repairing and building soccer fields across the county, Harris County will help grow the next generation of soccer players and engage underserved youth ages 6-18 in an important global cultural event.

Harris County will host seven matches as a host city for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ this summer. The games are expected to generate approximately $1.5 billion in revenue (the economic equivalent of hosting seven Super Bowls) and bring more than 500,000 visitors from all over the world to Harris County, according to the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority.

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