World Cup Host Committee unveils project to overhaul youth soccer pitches across Houston

February 27, 2026

The FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee unveiled a new legacy initiative called Freekicks Soccer on Feb. 27.

Freekicks Soccer will construct or refurbish 23 youth soccer pitches across six parks in underserved communities across Houston: Blue Ridge Park, George Bush Park, Moody Park, Alabonson Park, Baytown Soccer Complex and Keith-Wiess Park.

The Host Committee is collaborating with five of the top local youth soccer clubs — Albion Hurricanes F.C., Baytown Saints Youth Soccer Club, GFI Academy, HTX Soccer and SG1 — to run the program. These five clubs will bring their operations to the six parks to create more access to youth soccer in those communities.

Additionally, the clubs will invest $1.5 million into the program each year and provide more than 1,200 full and partial scholarships annually.

The city of Houston, Harris County Precincts 1-4, the Houston Dynamo and the Houston Dash partnered to run the Freekicks Soccer program.

The Houston Host Committee said Freekicks Soccer is just one part of the Grow the Game pillar of its Impact Houston 26 legacy program, and it will live on long after the World Cup. Therefore, the committee could not provide a concrete cost for Freekicks Soccer.

Youth soccer is a pay-to-play sport in the U.S., and most Houston opportunities are in the suburbs, creating barriers for players in underserved communities, said Chris Canetti, president of the Houston Host Committee.

“Our mission is to leverage the power of the FIFA World Cup to help make Houston a better place and to make a positive impact on our community long after the final whistle blows this summer,” Canetti said during a Feb. 27 press conference at Moody Park. “We concluded that a lack of access to the game for underserved communities is a big challenge and an issue that we wanted to prioritize.”

The Host Committee will refurbish and construct the soccer pitches in a phased process, Canetti said. Some of the soccer pitches are already completed. Others are about to start construction, while some will take more time.

Clubs will take over each field as construction is completed, Canetti said.

The Grow the Game initiative one of three pillars of the Impact Houston 26 legacy program the Host Committee is implementing for its World Cup efforts. The other two pillars of the program are defending human rights and protecting the environment.

Houston will host seven matches at NRG Stadium for the World Cup, including games featuring Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal. The Host Committee also will run a free 39-day fan festival during the tournament, featuring watch parties for all 104 matches.