Houston stadium hosts Brazil for the first time against Japan | OneFootball

NRG Stadium will host Brazil vs Japan in the World Cup round of 32Credits: Julian Finney - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

Brazil will make its debut at Houston Stadium this Monday (29), at 2 p.m. (Brasília time), against Japan in the World Cup round of 32. The venue, located in Houston, Texas, has a capacity of 68,777 spectators and is home to the NFL’s Houston Texans.

The stadium is one of the 16 venues for the 2026 World Cup. It has already hosted five group-stage matches and, besides Brazil vs Japan, will also stage a round-of-16 match. Its first game of the tournament was Germany’s 7-1 win over Curaçao in Group E on June 14.

Check out all the matches the venue will have hosted by the end of the World Cup: Portugal 1-1 Democratic Republic of the Congo (06/17); Netherlands 5-1 Sweden (06/20); Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan (06/23); Cape Verde 0-0 Saudi Arabia (06/26); Brazil vs Japan (06/29); and a round-of-16 clash on July 4.

Host of Brazil vs Japan in the World Cup round of 32, NRG Stadium is home to the NFL’s Houston TexansCredits: FIFA

HISTORY

Opened in 2002, Houston Stadium was built to replace the old and iconic Astrodome, which made sports history at the time by becoming the world’s first covered, climate-controlled arena. It was the first NFL stadium with a retractable roof.

In February 2004, it hosted Super Bowl XXXVIII. On that occasion, the New England Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers 32-29. In 2017, the arena hosted Super Bowl LI once again. This time, the New England Patriots beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28. The game became immortalized as the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history and the first NFL final decided in overtime.

Host of Brazil vs Japan, NRG Stadium has a capacity of nearly 69,000 peopleCredits: Sebastian Widmann - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Image

In addition to the Super Bowl, the stadium has hosted major soccer events, including the 2016 Copa América Centenario and the 2024 Copa América, with three matches each. It also frequently hosts U.S. and Mexico national team games in the Gold Cup and friendlies.

Houston Stadium is also the official home of the world’s biggest rodeo. With more than 80 years of history, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is one of the most traditional rodeos on the planet and welcomes the best athletes every year, along with major music performances and educational activities.

The arena has also hosted major entertainment events. In 2009, it was the stage for WrestleMania XXV, WWE’s biggest wrestling event, which broke records at the venue with more than 72,000 fans. Global stars such as Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, and other major names in music have also used the stadium’s facilities for concerts.

Brazil vs Japan, in the World Cup round of 32, will be the national team’s first match at NRG StadiumCredits: Julian Finney - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.