Austin Prepares for Heightened Tourism as World Cup Kicks Off

Eight years ago, it was announced that the 2026 World Cup would take place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. That day has finally arrived, as the first of 104 matches get underway Thursday, June 11. Between Houston and Dallas, Texas will host 16 of those matches. And despite the fact that no games will be played in Austin, city officials are still preparing for an influx in tourism traffic between now and the state’s final game in mid-July. 

In early May, Adrienne Sturrup, director for Austin Public Health, and Jim Redick, director for Austin Emergency Management, sent a memo to Mayor Kirk Watson and City Council, outlining some different efforts that the two departments are taking to make the next month and a half as smooth as possible for both Austinites and travelers. Members of both departments told the Chronicle that multiple city departments, the University of Texas, law enforcement agencies, and Q2 Stadium, which is hosting the Saudi Arabia national team, have been coordinating for months leading up to the event. 

After Saudi Arabia designated Austin its home base for the tournament’s duration, city officials knew that the area would see an increase in visitors from the Middle East. “They’ll probably generate, just their delegation alone, around 3,000 [room nights] for the city,” said Tom Noonan, president and CEO of Visit Austin.

Anytime Austin is hosting a large event, the city identifies potential diseases that could be transmitted to the area by travelers. Chris Crookham of Austin Public Health said that measles is the disease that they are keeping a close eye on.

“Given that our vaccination rates here in the U.S. and in Texas, and even our area, have been going down over the past several years, there is a concern that perhaps these could be brought in as well. Then, due to our low herd immunity, that could start to spread,” he explained.

With games in both Houston and Dallas, Noonan mentioned that Austin could see some “overflow” of travelers passing through in between matches, as the games will be separated by a few days. “Maybe you’re gonna go to Austin or San Antonio for a few days in between matches.”

To Noonan, it makes sense for international travelers to want to visit Austin while spending time in the state. “With our brand and our reputation and our destination, we’re pretty attractive for somebody to say, ‘Hey, let’s get in the car, go down. Let’s go get on a bus. Let’s go get on a Vonlane from Dallas down to Austin,’” he said.

As city leaders continue their preparatory work, Sara Henry, chief administrative officer at Austin Emergency Management, said that she isn’t worried about the heightened traffic, considering the city puts on major events year-round. “Austin does special events every day, right? We’ve got our South by Southwest, our ACL,” she said. “Big events that take over the city are not unique to Austin.”

Henry mentioned that the city is working with state, county, and federal law enforcement agents to strengthen public safety and ensure the event goes smoothly. The department will be providing normal resources for guests on its website, social media, and at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, as city staff and public safety agencies remain on standby for any needed action. “We’re just in a forward-leaning posture, ready to respond to anything that might come up,” Henry said.

As Austinites look to a possible future where the city hosts an official World Cup match, city officials remain at ease, confident in the steps they have taken to make the next month and a half operate without a hitch. “This is a Tuesday for us,” Henry said. “This is something that we do every day on a routine basis.”

Editor’s note: In a quote from Noonan, we originally stated that the Saudi Arabia delegation will generate about 3,000 people for the city. Noonan actually meant that the delegation will generate around 3,000 room nights for the city. The Chronicle regrets the error.

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