Texas Catholic dioceses welcome hundreds of thousands of fans as 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off

Texas will host the most matches in the United States, with nine in Dallas/Fort Worth and seven in Houston.

Texas Catholics are preparing to welcome fans from around the world as the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament officially begins this week.

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the Diocese of Fort Worth, and the Diocese of Dallas have launched special initiatives blending hospitality, faith, and outreach for the hundreds of thousands of fans from around the world descending on those cities during the largest World Cup in history, which begins June 11.

The cities of Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth will host 16 matches total, with a tournament-high nine matches taking place at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, which sits in between Fort Worth and Dallas.

The Diocese of Dallas has launched the “Welcome the World, Welcome the Stranger” initiative, encouraging parishes to extend hospitality to the city’s visitors, offering a downloadable resource kit that includes prayers and ideas that “will help your community welcome visitors from around the globe with faith, joy, and generosity.”

The diocese is also offering fans information on Mass times in multiple languages and “everything you need to stay connected to your faith during your visit to north Texas.”

“We are grateful for your presence among us and for this moment that brings the world together in a spirit of joy and unity,” Dallas Bishop Edward Burns said on the dioceseʼs World Cup website. “It is my hope that, during your time here, you will experience not only our hospitality but also the peace that comes from being welcomed as part of one human family.”

Burns celebrated an opening Mass on June 7 at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. There are additional Holy Hours planned for specific match days.

Dallas Stadium will feature several high-profile group games such as Netherlands vs. Japan (June 14), England vs. Croatia (June 17), and Argentina vs. Austria (June 22) before culminating in a semifinal on July 14.

The Fort Worth Dioceseʼs initiative, “Together for the Win,” is available in multiple languages and offers visiting fans parish locations, including their distance from Dallas Stadium.

Diocesan spokesman John Cuccaro told EWTN News the diocese also plans to host watch parties during the tournament and will post reels of the matches on social media.

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houstonʼs dedicated World Cup website, meanwhile, offers a parish locator, information on special Masses and other events, and links to notable Catholic sites in the city, which expects over 500,000 visitors.

NRG Stadium (temporarily renamed Houston Stadium) will host seven matches from June 14 to July 4, including five group-stage games and two knockout rounds.

Portugal will be playing two matches in Houston on June 17 and June 23. The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston is inviting fans to worship at a special Portuguese Mass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on Sunday, June 21, at 3:30 p.m.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament opens in Mexico City with the match between Mexico and South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca. The opening ceremony will take place at the same venue about 90 minutes before kickoff, celebrating Mexican culture through music, dance, and folklore.

There will be three separate opening ceremonies — one in each host country — with additional events in Toronto and Los Angeles on June 12.

This expanded 48-team tournament features a record 104 matches across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, running through the final on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The 11 U.S. host cities will collectively stage 78 of the tournament’s 104 matches. In addition to the two cities in Texas, matches will take place in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey (East Rutherford), Boston (Foxborough), Miami (Miami Gardens), Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area (Santa Clara), Seattle, and Kansas City.