Inside NRG Stadium hosting Ronaldo, Saudi players at 2026 FIFA World Cup
Rechristened as the Houston Stadium for the period of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in accordance with the world’s governing body regulations, the NRG Stadium will host seven matches during the tournament starting on June 11.
Located in Texas, NRG Stadium is the home ground of the National Football League franchise, the Houston Texans, which has used the arena since 2002.
It is also the venue for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the world’s largest livestock exhibition.
Construction of the arena began in March 2000 and was completed in August 2002, at a cost of $352 million at the time. When it initially opened, it was the first NFL facility to have a retractable roof.
The stadium has a capacity of over 72,000, but can be expanded to 80,000 for special events. The record attendance during the 2019 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is 80,108.
The NRG Stadium also features 196 executive suites, a Hellas Matrix Helix playing surface, a 125,000-square-foot configurable floor space that can be converted for exhibitions and concerts and two giant LED video screens about 277 feet wide erected at each end zone of the stadium.
It was known as Reliant Stadium when it opened in 2002, after American energy company Reliant Energy paid $300 million to secure the naming rights for 32 years.
However, it was renamed NRG Stadium in 2014 when NRG, the parent company of Reliant Energy, decided to promote its main corporate brand.
The arena has hosted various major sporting events, including two Super Bowls, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Copa América Centenario, and Motorsport races.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles faced Mexico at the venue in a friendly match in May 2013 that ended in a 2-2 draw.
It is also a regular destination for musicians to host concerts during their tours. Taylor Swift, Metallica, Beyoncé, the Rolling Stones, Selena, One Direction, and Coldplay are among the big names who have performed at the NRG Stadium over the years.
The NRG Stadium will host seven matches during the World Cup, which include five group matches and two knockout round games.
One of the favourites to win the World Cup, Portugal, will play at least two matches at the venue. Germany, Cape Verde, Curacao, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan are also set to play at the stadium during the group stage.
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