DR Congo and Sweden have officially qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and will play group-stage matches in Houston this June at NRG Stadium, which can seat up to 80,000 fans. Because of FIFA sponsorship rules, the venue will be referred to during the tournament as “Houston Stadium.”
Their qualification helped finalize the tournament field after Iraq became the 48th and last team to secure a spot by beating Bolivia. FIFA said the global qualification process stretched across nearly two years and involved close to 900 matches.
The 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, with the United States, Canada and Mexico hosting. Houston is scheduled to host five group-stage matches and two knockout games between June 14 and July 4.
Fans in Houston are also expected to see major stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, who is set to play for Portugal in Houston against DR Congo on June 17 and against Uzbekistan on June 23. Houston Mayor John Whitmire said the city is ready to welcome visitors from around the world, as Houston is one of 16 host cities and the tournament is expected to draw more than 16 million attendees across the three countries.
Houston match schedule
- June 14: Germany vs. Curaçao (Group E)
- June 17: Portugal vs. DR Congo (Group K)
- June 20: Netherlands vs. Sweden (Group F)
- June 23: Portugal vs. Uzbekistan (Group K)
- June 26: Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia (Group H)
- June 29: Round of 32 — Group C winner vs. Group F runner-up
- July 4: Round of 16 — matchup based on group results
