Sugar Land Mayor Carol McCutcheon, president of the Houston 2026 Host Committee Chris Canetti, and Sugar Land City Council at the FIFA press conference. (Courtesy Visit Sugar Land)
Sugar Land will soon be saying “ole, ole” as the city announces it will be the only support city for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. Being a support city allows for Sugar Land to have a large say in how Houston will engage in being a host city.
Houston is set to host seven matches for the soccer tournament next year, with an estimated 500,000 tourists coming through the area. The economic impact is projected to be huge: an estimated $1.5 billion for the region.
Visit Sugar Land is partnering with the FIFA World Cup 26 Houston Host Committee to start volunteer and youth development programs, launch targeted marketing campaigns, and activate venues such as Sugar Land Town Square, First Colony Mall, Smart Financial Centre, Constellation Field, and Sugar Land Regional Airport. As a support city, Sugar Land will have exclusive access to FIFA branding rights that will be used for events like official watch parties.
The sponsorship agreement is expected to cost $2.5 million, paid for by voter-approved sales tax revenue.
“Beyond the excitement of the World Cup matches, this is a strategic investment in Sugar Land’s future,” said Alison Brooks, assistant director of Visit Sugar Land. “We’re leveraging this global platform to expand tourism, attract new business, and position Sugar Land as a premier destination for residents, visitors, and companies alike.”
As well as the buzz that this will bring the city, the local cash boost is set to really make an impact on the sleepy suburb outside of Houston.
“We opened a year ago, matter of fact our one-year birthday is this coming Saturday,” Chuck Lawter, co-owner and COO of Talyard Brewing, told KHOU 11. “To have this kind of influx into the community right at year two for us, it’s kind of perfect timing.”
