‘The Bayou-tiful Game’ mural by French-born, Houston-based artist Sebastien “Mr. D 1987” Boileau.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Houston’s World Cup celebration isn’t limited to watch parties and match days. Across the city, artists have transformed walls, shipping containers and gallery spaces into tributes to soccer and the communities that reflect Houston’s diversity. Whether you’re looking for a photo op or an afternoon of art hopping, these stops offer a different way to experience the tournament.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW: The ultimate guide to the World Cup in Houston
MURALS
Museum District
Artist Elizabeth “Liz” Umanzor’s mural reflects the educational and cultural experiences found across Houston’s Museum District.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Created by Houston artist Elizabeth Umanzor, this mural outside Children’s Museum Houston serves as the Museum District’s official World Cup artwork. The colorful piece incorporates references to science, wildlife, art and space exploration, reflecting the institutions and experiences that make the district one of Houston’s cultural hubs.
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Location: Corner of Crawford St. and Binz St.
East Downtown
Houston artist Betirri’s East End Gateway Mural features jerseys representing the nine national teams playing World Cup matches in Houston.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Created by Houston artist Betirri with six apprentices, the 230-foot East End Gateway Mural pays tribute to soccer, Houston’s identity and the nine World Cup teams playing in the city. The mural features Betirri’s signature bodiless figures wearing jerseys for Germany, Curaçao, Portugal, the Netherlands, Uzbekistan, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sweden.
Location: East End Gateway Mural, 2727 Harrisburg Blvd.
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‘Para Todos’ by Ernesto Sandoval is installed on a shipping container near Navigation Boulevard and Nagle Street.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Installed on a shipping container near Navigation Boulevard, Ernesto Sandoval’s “Para Todos” celebrates soccer as a sport that belongs to everyone. The colorful work reflects the game’s ability to connect people across cultures, languages and backgrounds.
Location: Navigation Esplanade and Nagle St.
The 160-foot mural by Houston artist José “Meenr” Arredondo features soccer icons from around the world.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
José “Meenr” Arredondo’s 160-foot mural was one of the first World Cup artworks unveiled in Houston. The piece features soccer stars Kylian Mbappé, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Mexico captain Edson Álvarez.
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Location: Canal Street near The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation
GONZO247’s ‘Frequency of the City’ mural spans the exterior of Shell Energy Stadium and was created in collaboration with Meow Wolf and Houston Dynamo FC.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Created by Houston artist GONZO247 in collaboration with Meow Wolf and Houston Dynamo FC, “Frequency of the City” celebrates the city’s creative culture through references to soccer, graffiti and Houston’s iconic slab scene. The mural stretches across the exterior of Shell Energy Stadium in EaDo.
Location: Shell Energy Stadium, 2200 Texas Ave.
MORE FROM ANA KHAN: Where to find FIFA World Cup watch parties and themed specials in Houston
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Fifth Ward Cultural District
Ashley Price’s mural is located in a pedestrian alley near the DeLuxe Theater in Houston’s Fifth Ward Cultural District.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Ashley Price’s ‘The World’s Garden’ turns a Fifth Ward alley into a colorful welcome for World Cup visitors. Featuring three generations of women, the mural reflects the families and communities that have shaped the neighborhood while highlighting Fifth Ward’s place in a global event.
Location: 3303 Lyons Ave.
Midtown
‘The Bayou-tiful Game’ mural by French-born, Houston-based artist Sebastien “Mr. D 1987” Boileau.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Created by French-born, Houston-based artist Sebastien “Mr. D 1987” Boileau, ‘The Bayou Beautiful Game’ combines World Cup excitement with some of the city’s most recognizable symbols. The mural includes references to Houston’s bayous, NASA and the late artist David Adickes’ iconic ‘We Love Houston’ sculpture. One of its most popular features is a painted World Cup trophy that allows visitors to pose as if they’re holding it.
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Arts District
Artist Jatziri Barron’s ‘The Art of the Beautiful Game’ mural at 2219 Crockett St. features Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Frida Kahlo and Vincent van Gogh.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Known for work that explores identity, culture and community, Mexican artist and Houston resident Jatziri Barron brings those themes to ‘The Art of the Beautiful Game.’ The mural features artistic icons including Frida Kahlo, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí, connecting the worlds of art and soccer while celebrating the diversity that defines Houston.
Location: 2219 Crockett St.
Westchase
Artist Mathieu JN Baptiste’s mural celebrates Houston’s diversity and the global spirit of soccer.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and based in Houston, artist Mathieu JN Baptiste created this World Cup mural as a celebration of soccer, culture and community. Installed in Westchase, the artwork honors emerging soccer nations and pays tribute to Haiti’s national team, which qualified for its first World Cup since 1974.
Location: 3806 S. Gessner Dr.
Near NRG Stadium
‘Dream Big,’ a mural by artist Amy Malkan, covers the exterior of the Wyndham Houston near NRG Stadium.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Amy Malkan’s ‘Dream Big’ pairs World Cup imagery with a message of possibility. The 130-foot mural features a young boy looking toward the stars alongside a globe transformed into a soccer ball and fields of Texas bluebonnets. Located near NRG Stadium, it’s hard to miss and easy to spot from a distance.
Location: 8686 Kirby Dr.
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Theater District
Artist Nicky Davis’ mural celebrates Houston’s Theater District with references to the performing arts and the Houston Symphony.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Houston artist Nicky Davis, with the help of Vida, pays tribute to the city’s performing arts scene with a mural celebrating the Theater District. The artwork features references to stage productions including ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ and ‘Carmen,’ alongside tributes to the Houston Symphony.
Location: 400 San Jacinto St.
ART EXHIBITS AND PHOTO OPS
‘Obverse and Reverse XIV’
Dario Escobar’s ‘Obverse and Reverse XIV’ is on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Created from deconstructed soccer balls, Guatemalan artist Darío Escobar’s “Obverse and Reverse XIV” explores the intersection of sports, culture and contemporary art. While not connected to the World Cup, the installation offers another soccer-inspired stop for visitors exploring Houston’s Museum District.
Location: Kinder Building, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet St.
‘Ballet of the Masses’
The “Ballet of the Masses” exhibition at Sabine Street Studios features soccer balls suspended in mid air.
Peter Warren/Houston Chronicle
Nearly four dozen Houston artists transformed soccer balls into works of art for “Ballet of the Masses,” an exhibition at Sabine Street Studios. The free exhibit is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through July 25.
Location: 1907 Sabine St.
Photo op at Sabine Street Studios
Visitors can step into a World Cup-inspired photo op featuring international jerseys and flags at Sabine Street Studios.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
There’s more to see beyond “Ballet of the Masses.” Sabine Street Studios also has a free World Cup-themed photo stop and other soccer-inspired artwork.
Location: 1907 Sabine St.
‘The Art of Soccer’
Soccer-themed art installations are on display inside POST Houston during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
Visitors can explore “The Art of Soccer” at POST Houston’s X Atrium, where artist-designed soccer balls serve as both public art and photo ops. Suspended throughout the space are 17 large-scale pennant banners by Houston artist Betirri, featuring countries from around the world rendered in his recognizable bodiless style alongside artwork from the Houston 2026 Collection.
Location: 401 Franklin St.
World Cup trophy photo op
Visitors stop to view a replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy outside the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
A giant replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy stands in Avenida Plaza outside the George R. Brown Convention Center, where visitors have been lining up for one of downtown’s most recognizable World Cup snapshots.
Location: Avenida Plaza, 1001 Avenida De Las Americas
‘A Beautiful Game: Every Match Leaves a Mark’
Artwork featured in ‘A Beautiful Game: Every Match Leaves a Mark,’ a soccer-themed exhibition at Mitochondria Gallery.
Courtesy photo
On view through July 18, “A Beautiful Game: Every Match Leaves a Mark” explores soccer’s connection to memory, identity and community through paintings, sculptures and mixed media works. Curated by Jackson Smith, the exhibition features artists Terence Ntsako Maluleke, Charles Middleton, Guy Stanley Philoche, Corey Ramon Gibson, Alpha Odhiambo, Bradley Theodore, Sunday Ernest Nnamal and Sphephelo Mnguni.
Location: Mitochondria Gallery, 2220 Commerce St.