Congo DR Announces Houston, Texas, World Cup Base Camp Selection

It has been announced that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo DR) has chosen its base camp in Houston, Texas, for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Les Léopards will use SaberCats Stadium in Houston Sports Park as its team base camp training site. The multisport and events venue, which broke ground in 2018, is home to Major League Rugby team Houston SaberCats and was the first stadium in the league built specifically for use by Major League Rugby.

The site includes a natural grass field and up to 4,000-seat capacity, while the Houston Sports Park has an additional two training fields.

It marks Congo DR’s first Men’s FIFA World Cup since 1974 in West Germany and its first with its current name. The country previously competed as Zaire, becoming the first Sub-Saharan African team to participate in a World Cup, but they lost all three matches in their debut tournament.

Speaking last month to SportsTravel Magazine, Houston 2026 World Cup Bid Committee President Chris Canetti said that he was confident that another FIFA World Cup qualified national team would have a base camp in the state of Texas. The three other confirmed teams basing themselves in Texas are Saudi Arabia (Texas), Sweden (Frisco) and Czechia (Mansfield).

Last week, Canetti told local media that “all signs are pointing to the Democratic Republic of the Congo” (having a base camp in Houston) before the official announcement. The national team’s hotel in Houston, however, is not being disclosed for now due to safety and security purposes.

A month ago, Congo DR confirmed its participation in this summer’s showpiece tournament after defeating Jamaica 1-0 in an intercontinental play-off final staged at the Akron Stadium near Guadalajara in Mexico.

Congo DR will compete in Group K at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, beginning in Houston against Portugal on June 17, before heading to Guadalajara in Mexico to face Colombia on June 23. They will conclude their group-stage campaign against World Cup debutants Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 27.

FIFA World Cup Preparations

Read the full list of confirmed base camps so far here.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which has been expanded to 48 teams, will begin with Mexico vs. South Africa on June 11 in Mexico City, with the final being held on July 19 in New York New Jersey.