NRG Stadium, home of the NFL’s Houston Texans, is set for a series of upgrades as it prepares to host the final of football’s Gold Cup in 2025, as well as matches at the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
The upgrades have been approved by the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation (HCSCC) and include a $35m (£27.9m/€33.4m) roof replacement. The project will also feature an updated sound system and video boards, as well as renovated suites on the 300-level and 400-level.
The upgrades were approved during the HCSCC’s recent board meeting, according to the Houston Business Journal. The governing body will work with the Texans and fellow stadium tenant RodeoHouston on the plans.
NRG Stadium opened in 2002 and its current video boards were fitted in 2013. The new boards will be provided by Mitsubishi Electric, which also supplied the current technology.
Ryan Walsh, the outgoing executive director and chief executive of HCSCC, said: “It’s moving the ball forward. It doesn’t fix the whole problem but it does go a long way towards getting some of the things done that really need to happen.”
In September, Concacaf, the governing body for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, announced NRG Stadium as one of the host venues for the 2025 Gold Cup. NRG Stadium was announced as the host venue for the final in October.
Fourteen stadiums across the US and Canada will stage matches next year, and it will mark the eighth time that NRG Stadium has been a host venue. The tournament will take place from June 14 to July 6.
NRG Stadium will also host seven matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico. The stadium will host five group-stage fixtures, one Round of 32 tie and a Round of 16 match.
NRG Stadium forms part of the wider NRG Park complex, which also includes the Astrodome, the former home of Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros.
