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Houston Officials Outline City's 2031 Women's World Cup Hosting Plans
Houston remains a proposed host city in the joint U.S. Soccer submission while FIFA’s final selection process continues.
How we reported this
Houston is included in the U.S. Soccer bid proposal for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup, with NRG Stadium listed as a main potential venue. Shell Energy Stadium appears as an alternate or secondary venue option in the bid materials. The city’s status is that of a proposed host, not a confirmed one, because FIFA’s final awarding process has not yet been completed.
Bid Background and Joint Submission
The 2031 Women’s World Cup bid is a joint submission by the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica. U.S. Soccer formally began the host-city selection process in 2025 by contacting Houston and other likely candidate cities. This early outreach established the framework under which Houston’s venues were evaluated for inclusion in the formal bid book.
Venue Considerations in Houston
NRG Stadium is positioned as the primary facility under review for matches, while Shell Energy Stadium offers a secondary option that could support additional programming. These designations reflect the venues’ capacities and existing infrastructure within the city’s sports landscape. Local planning discussions have centered on how these stadiums align with the multi-nation bid requirements.
Current Status and Next Steps
As of the latest available reports, Houston’s position stays at the proposed stage. FIFA continues its review of the submitted bid materials from the four nations. Officials and experts involved in the process have noted that final host confirmations will follow completion of FIFA’s evaluation, without a set public timeline attached to Houston’s specific inclusion at this point.
Further updates are expected once FIFA advances the awarding decisions. The focus for Houston remains on maintaining readiness of the listed venues while the broader bid review unfolds across the participating countries.