HOUSTON — World Cup excitement is taking on a truly international character in Houston, where an estimated one-third of residents were born outside the United States and approximately 145 languages are spoken throughout what is considered one of the most culturally diverse cities in the country.
As the fourth-largest city in the U.S., Houston has thrown itself into full celebration mode for this year’s tournament, with a sprawling downtown fan festival and packed bars and restaurants buzzing with passionate supporters cheering on their home nations.
“We’ve been to the fan festival in East Downtown and it’s been a fantastic experience to see all cultures kind of mesh and have a great time together and celebrate the sport and celebrate humanity as a whole,” said Frank Haces, 27, who watched a recent match alongside family members who traveled to visit him from Mexico.
The presence of Mexico’s national team — known as “El Tri” — is felt strongly across the city. Green jerseys have become a common sight at restaurants, bars, and supermarkets, reflecting the fact that people of Mexican heritage make up roughly a third of Houston’s population.
The downtown fan festival has embraced the city’s diversity with entertainment spanning everything from Tejano to Bollywood performers, according to festival director Patti Smith. She noted that local fans representing a wide range of countries gather to watch their teams compete on large screens. For a recent Egypt match, organizers even set up a prayer room and a foot-washing area to accommodate Muslim supporters. Smith estimated that as many as 20,000 people are attending the festival each day.
“The cultures are all coming out and it’s every single night,” Smith told Reuters. “We see when it’s the Turkish, the Iranians or whoever is playing. People from the community are coming out in droves.”
Houston’s appeal to international residents stems from several factors, including a strong job market driven by the energy and medical industries, relatively affordable living costs, and its geographic closeness to Latin America — all of which have contributed to its large Latino population and drawn people from around the world.
Sae Yang, a 35-year-old South Korean resident, said the opportunity to share different traditions and celebrations is what makes experiencing the World Cup in Houston so meaningful. Meanwhile, Canadian resident Saige Antoine said she enjoys the chance to connect with fellow transplants from other parts of the globe.
“I remember like the first few days of it was huge,” Antoine said. “It was going crazy. People just want to like show off the flags, their accessories, anything to support the culture and what we have here.”
Texas is also home to the largest Czech American population in the United States, and Houston residents Derrick Junek and his wife Jaylen said they plan to honor their heritage in a fitting way — given that the Czech Republic ranks as the top beer-consuming nation per capita in the world.
“I’ll drink some Pilsner beer to celebrate,” Derrick Junek said.
