More than 1,000 young footballers from the Houston area took part in the Road to the Cup tournament, a youth competition designed to connect local communities with the FIFA World Cup 2026™ experience — and to leave a lasting legacy in the city long after the tournament is over.

Finals on the big stage

What began in spring with qualification rounds held across sports facilities throughout the Greater Houston region concluded last weekend with finals played on the Aramco Arena — a 7-versus-7 pitch constructed exclusively for the FIFA Fan Festival™. Surrounded by fans and the electric atmosphere of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, teams from the U-11 through U-18/19 age groups competed for the last titles of the competition.

A total of 125 teams from Houston and South Texas entered the tournament, with boys and girls competing in parallel across all age categories. The early rounds were spread across venues in the region before the strongest sides earned their place at the Aramco Arena.

A format built for excitement

The 7-versus-7 format was a deliberate choice. Charles Rotramel, chair of the Grow the Game Committee at the Houston Host Committee, explained the thinking behind it.