News
BY CASSANDRA JENKINS
Houston sporting events to generate $2B in economic activity
65,000 visitors and $150 million in economic impact, according to the Houston First Corporation. Michael Heckman, President and CEO of Houston First Corporation, said these major events “will shine a signi cant spotlight on Houston.” “These events collectively will generate signi cant economic activity for Houston as a whole, but very speci cally will support our hospitality industry, from hotels to restaurants and beyond,” he said.
County-Houston Sports Authority. The city also hosted several events in the wintertime, including the Chevron Houston Marathon, the Simone Biles International Invitational and the NCA All-Star National Championship. The NCA Championship, which moved to Houston for the rst time in 2026, was conducted at the George R. Brown Convention Center from Feb. 27-March 1. The three-year contract is expected to bring over
Houston is gearing up to host several big-time sporting events in 2026, including the World Baseball Classic, the NCAA Men’s Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, and the FIFA World Cup. The local impact The three major sporting events are projected to bring in around $1.6 billion in overall economic activity this year, according to a report by the Harris
World Baseball Classic
NCAA Men’s Sweet 16 & Elite Eight
FIFA World Cup
March 6-11 & 13-14
March 26-28
June 14-July 4
An international baseball tournament featuring top professional players from around the world competing for their home countries. It is held every four years and showcases 20 national teams. • Daikin Park: 501 Crawford St., Houston • Teams participating: Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, United States and Brazil • Tickets: $10+
The regional semi nal and nal rounds of the Division I basketball tournament feature the nal 16 teams out of 68 competing in the Elite Eight, with the Elite Eight producing the top four teams that will compete in the Final Four. • Toyota Center: 1510 Polk St., Houston • Tournament host: Rice University • Tickets: $163+
The premier international soccer tournament is hosted every four years. It is one of the world’s most-watched single-sport events and is often considered the most prestigious title in soccer. • Houston Stadium: 1 NRG Parkway, Houston • Teams participating: Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde, Uzbekistan and Curacao • Tickets: $140-$700+
1 st
1 st
7 th
First-time host city
Seventh-time host city
First-time host city
Estimated economic impact: $112M+
Visitor expectation: 400,000
Estimated economic impact: $10.5M+
Visitor expectation: 54,000
Estimated economic impact: $1.5B+
Visitor expectation: 500,000
SOURCES: HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY, HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION, HOUSTON ASTROS COMMUNITY IMPACT
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BELLAIRE MEYERLAND WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION
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