Houston’s World Cup Moment Brings Pride House to the Global Stage

The fourth-largest city in the United States is preparing for one of the biggest events in modern sports history. Beginning this month, Houston will serve as a central hub for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, welcoming thousands of visitors from across the globe.

Starting June 14, NRG Stadium will host seven of the tournament’s matches, transforming the city into an international destination for culture, tourism, and celebration. Hotels are already preparing for thousands of out-of-state visitors, while downtown streets are expected to fill with fan festivals and events. For Houston, the World Cup represents far more than soccer—it is an opportunity to showcase itself on a global stage. But alongside that excitement comes significant changes for Houston’s longstanding Pride Month celebrations.

For decades, Houston’s Pride festivities have coincided with Pride Month celebrations nationwide. This year, however, local organizers made an adjustment. Houston’s Pride parade and related events were moved to June 6 in anticipation of the overwhelming World Cup crowds, road closures, heightened security operations, and venue conflicts later in the month. The shift was made to ensure the queer community could still celebrate and have its moment to shine without being overshadowed by one of the world’s largest sporting spectacles.

Despite the changes, LGBTQ representation will continue to remain visible later this month and throughout the World Cup, thanks in part to Space City Pride FC, Houston’s LGBTQ-inclusive soccer club, which is helping support and co-host Pride House programming connected to the tournament.

Founded to create a welcoming environment for queer athletes and allies, the group has grown into both a competitive and community-driven organization. Space City Pride FC will help co-host Houston’s official Pride House—an internationally recognized concept that creates dedicated safe spaces for LGBTQ fans, athletes, and visitors during major sporting events.

The LGBTQ community represents a vital part of the international soccer fan base, and they deserve a safe space to enjoy the magic of the World Cup, says Space City Pride FC president Stephen Olson. 

“Sports are for everyone, and they bring so many people together to become more than just a team,” he says. “Whether as a player, spectator, supporter, donor, or sponsor, everyone around us has helped create a true club community full of love and support, and I couldn’t be more proud of all of them.”

For members of Space City Pride FC, the moment feels especially significant. Houston is quite literally preparing to welcome the world, and they want queer Houstonians to feel just as visible. Pride House will serve as both a celebration and a statement: that soccer, and the city hosting it, belongs to everyone, not just a select few, says Space City Pride FC vice president Jordan Gauthier. 

“Soccer has always been more than just a sport,” Gauthier says. “It is a way to connect people from different backgrounds, experiences, and walks of life. Being able to help create an environment where every individual feels welcomed, valued, and supported is incredibly meaningful to me. What makes this experience so rewarding is seeing people gain confidence, build friendships, and feel empowered to be themselves, both on and off the field.” 

For more information, visit, spacecitypridefc.org

MEET THE MEMBERS of Space City Pride FC

Gina de la Garza
Treasurer of Space City Pride FC

Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley along the US-Mexico border, Gina de la Garza developed a love for soccer at an early age in a region where the sport is deeply woven into the culture. 

She played competitively throughout her youth and college years, and her passion for the game has since taken her around the world, including trips to the 2014 Men’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. After earning her master’s degree, she moved to Houston to work in international taxes, drawn by the city’s ties to global business.

De la Garza became involved with Space City Pride FC after joining one of the club’s teams as a free agent several years ago. Discovering that an LGBTQ soccer community was a meaningful experience, she soon took on a leadership role as the club’s treasurer. Using her background in accounting, she helped guide the organization through the process of becoming a nonprofit organization and establishing its financial infrastructure.

For de la Garza, LGBTQ visibility in sports is deeply personal. She recalls not always feeling safe being open about her identity while playing sports, and believes representation remains vital at a time when LGBTQ athletes—especially transgender athletes—continue to face scrutiny and discrimination worldwide. Through Space City Pride FC and its affiliation with the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association, she has traveled to queer soccer tournaments across the country and says the experience of finding community through sport has been cathartic.

“It’s such a special feeling to arrive in another city and see soccer fields covered in players and know you are safe and part of a community,” she says. 

Which teams are you most looking forward to watching?

I’m excited to watch Mexico’s Francisco Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa Magaña and Argentina’s Lionel Messi. There are a lot of players who have been in the game a long time who expect this to be their last tournament. It will be exciting to see some of the greats play for their country for maybe the last time.

Do you plan to attend matches in Houston or watch elsewhere?

Space City Pride will be hosting watch parties with Pride House International — an organization focused on creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ athletes, fans, and allies to watch international sports.

Any soccer player idols?

I have a lot of soccer idols — mostly on the women’s side, though. Aitana Bonmatí, Sam Kerr, and Christen Press, to name a few.

Your World Cup prediction?

Most of the final rosters haven’t been released yet, but I’m going with Spain as my prediction.

Brandi Neeley
Member of Space City Pride FC

Brandi Neeley, a member of Space City Pride FC, moved to Houston from Alabama in 2016 to pursue a career in sports medicine. A lifelong athlete, Neeley began playing soccer at age 9 and quickly fell in love with the sport. While she now plays recreationally, she says soccer continues to bring her joy and has helped her build meaningful connections within Houston’s LGBTQ community.

Neeley became involved with Space City Pride FC through a mutual friend, and was immediately drawn to the organization’s inclusive environment. As a Black queer woman, she says finding a safe and welcoming space to share her passion for soccer has been especially meaningful. She credits the club’s members with creating a supportive community that feels both empowering and uplifting.

For Neeley, LGBTQ representation in soccer is essential at every level of the sport. She says organizations like Space City Pride FC play an important role in fostering that sense of belonging locally while also connecting players to a broader global queer soccer community through tournaments and events affiliated with the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association.

“Soccer is for everyone, period,” she says. “There’s no place for hatred in this beautiful game. Everyone has a place in soccer, and representation on all levels only helps the game grow more and be more inclusive, no matter your sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Which teams are you most looking forward to watching?

I’m always going to root for the USMNT, but honestly, I’m excited to watch any match I can. The World Cup always delivers exciting games, palpable passion, and incredible upsets. These are the best of the best competing on the world’s biggest stage, and we get to watch some of these matches in our own backyard. I plan on watching as many as I can. The amount of pride and emotion poured into a 90-minute match is not only powerful, but unrivaled.

 Do you plan to attend matches in Houston or watch elsewhere?

Absolutely. I put in bids for a couple of matches here in Houston: Portugal vs. DR Congo and the Netherlands vs. Sweden.

 Any soccer player idols?

How much time do you have? Just to name a few: Mia Hamm, Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Briana Scurry, Kelly O’Hara, Griffin Dorsey, Marcelo, and Chris Richards.

Your World Cup prediction?

¡Vamos España!

Robert Lopez
Secretary of Space City Pride FC

Robert Lopez, secretary of Space City Pride FC, has spent decades building community through both education and soccer. 

Originally from the Dallas area, Lopez began playing soccer at around 10 years old and carried his passion for the sport throughout his life. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in 1992, he taught and coached at San Marcos High School, serving as head boys soccer coach before relocating to Houston in 1995 for a teaching and coaching opportunity at Alief Hastings High School. In May 2025, Lopez retired after a 33-year career in education, including 30 years at Hastings.

Lopez has long been involved in LGBTQ soccer organizations, competing in queer tournaments dating back to the 1998 Gay Games in Amsterdam while playing with the Oak Lawn Soccer Club in Dallas. Over the years, he witnessed several attempts to establish LGBTQ soccer organizations in Houston before Space City Pride FC ultimately took shape and found lasting success.

As one of the club’s more senior members, Lopez says his involvement is rooted in a belief that each generation has a responsibility to continue the work of those who came before them while breaking down barriers for the future.

“Ultimately, along with my fellow Space City Pride FC members, our leadership is about making others better as a result of our presence while making sure that impact lasts in our absence,” he says. 

Do you plan to attend matches in Houston or watch elsewhere?

I will attend watch parties to watch the games. It is definitely much less hassle, and it’s cheaper.

Any soccer player idols?

I do admire and respect Robbie Rogers. He was the first openly gay man to compete in a top North American professional sports league. However, he has been retired for quite a while.
Do you have any World Cup predictions?

I predict France will be the World Cup champion.