In a post shared to the r/Houston subreddit about two hours before kickoff, a fan claimed security screening lines had stalled with little movement. The post alleged some attendees waiting in the Texas sun had fainted.

“Security line at Houston Stadium is an unmitigated disaster,” the post read. “Stuck here for 45 minutes and counting. Very little movement. People passing out. 1/10 would not recommend.”

A photo posted by the fan appeared to show a long queue winding through entry areas as fans waited to clear security and reach their seats. 

Others also took to X to share videos of the long lines, including one that captured fans chanting angrily about FIFA.

“F*** you @FIFAcom People passing out in line here in Houston,” an account with the handle @TooMuchTimeOnMyHands posted. “Over one hour in line in the heat.”

Another woman said fans were waiting under an excessive heat advisory without water. 

It was not immediately clear what caused the delays or whether stadium officials adjusted entry procedures. Still, some fans described a very different experience, saying entering through security was a breeze. 

“Got here at 9:45 and got in with no issue. I don’t know where this dude is at but it was not like this not that long ago,” one user wrote to Reddit. “This is why they said to get here early lol.”

“I went through the entrance on the NE corner of the stadium around 9:45/10 and was there was very little line,” wrote another. “Basically went right through.”

Others said while they experienced delays, it was to be expected for such a large event. 

“Were you expecting a single file line? Lol im in the same place and expected this,” another attendee replied.

Houston is set to host a total of seven World Cup matches over the coming weeks, making Sunday a major test of crowd management and stadium operations as the city takes center stage as part of the global event. 

FIFA and Houston Stadium [NRG Stadium] did not immediately respond to Chron’s request for comment regarding the reported security line delays or what, if any, steps are being taken to address them.