Houston eyes NHL expansion as FIFA World Cup prep accelerates
Houston’s NHL bid could hinge on a new arena and $3.5 billion in costs as the city prepares seven World Cup matches, a fan fest and a new Green Corridor.
Gary Bettman said the NHL will spend six months weighing expansion to Houston or Austin, a decision that could bring a $3.5 billion franchise into a city already preparing for seven World Cup matches at NRG Stadium. For Houston, the practical questions are immediate: whether fans can support another major pro team, whether downtown and the Texas Medical Center corridor can absorb more game-day traffic, and whether the city is ready to pair hockey ambition with the World Cup buildout already under way.
Bettman said the prospective ownership group is the Friedkin family, led by Dan Friedkin, and that the Texas franchise would be the league’s 33rd team. He also said both Houston and Austin would need a new arena, putting venue readiness at the center of any bid. Houston's current major sports sites include the Texans at NRG Stadium and the Astros and Rockets downtown.
NRG Stadium, which opened in 2000 and seats 71,500, will host five group-stage games, one Round of 32 match and one Round of 16 match between June 14 and July 4 for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The host committee expects hundreds of thousands of visitors and is planning security, transportation and fan-festival operations around that surge. Houston will be one of only two North American hosts with a public FIFA Fan Festival for all 104 tournament matches, in East Downtown.
Organizers are developing a 14-mile Green Corridor to connect the FIFA Fan Festival in EaDo, NRG Stadium, Midtown, Downtown and the Museum District. Airbnb has also announced more than $1 million in Houston legacy programs tied to the tournament.
The city had the Houston Aeros, a pro hockey team that played from 1994 to 2013, first at The Summit and Compaq Center and later at Toyota Center, and won the 2003 Calder Cup.
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