Community‑Wide Soccer Celebration
The Houston Dynamo have announced a sweeping community outreach program that will bring free youth soccer clinics and evening pickup matches to parks across the city during the build‑up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Spanning five weeks from mid‑June, the Soccer Celebration Community Tour will rotate daily through venues such as Opportunity Center, Wussow Park, Freed Park, Eastwood Park and Kirkwood South Park, giving families easy access to the sport.
Free Clinics and Evening Pickup Games
Morning sessions are tailored to younger children, with a dedicated hour for ages six to eight from 8 to 9 a.m., followed by a slot for nine to eleven year olds from 9 to 10 a.m. As the sun sets, the same fields transform into lively “cascaritas” matches for teenagers, running from 5 to 9 p.m., with the first two hours reserved for twelve to fourteen year olds and the final two for fifteen to seventeen year olds.
All participants receive equipment, complimentary water and snacks courtesy of Kroger, ensuring that cost is never a barrier to participation.
Wade Barrett, Dynamo vice president of community relations, said the initiative is about “capturing the World Cup spirit and delivering it directly to Houston neighborhoods,” a sentiment echoed by Adrian Juarez, recreation supervisor at the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, who praised the program’s reach into underserved areas.
Beyond the summer, the Dynamo have pledged to sustain these free offerings, planning to keep the clinics and pickup games alive in communities that might otherwise lack organized soccer opportunities.
The program also features a series of World Cup watch parties at Shell Energy Stadium, friendly exhibition matches and a concert by Los Tucanes de Tijuana, turning the stadium into a hub of celebration for fans of all ages.