NRG Stadium sits in Houston on March 12, 2026. The venue was chosen to host seven matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer.
The Houston FIFA World Cup Host Committee has released a Human Rights Action Plan to combat the possible raised risk of human trafficking. Houston is set to host seven matches this summer for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at NRG Stadium.
According to the 40 page plan, the committee intends to work with local law enforcement and community organizations to increase public awareness and protection for vulnerable workers.
Cielo Reyes, a member of the Human Rights Division of the FIFA World Cup Houston Host Committee, said that promoting public awareness will be a key part of the effort.
“We’re also trying to publicize a social awareness campaign so more people are aware and can more easily detect all these kinds of signs,” Reyes said.
The plan says that the committee has “designed, developed, and recorded specialized training programs on human trafficking for broad community use.” It also says that the committee plans to ensure contractors and partner organizations are following labor standards and protecting its workers from exploitation.
Reyes says that while eliminating human trafficking entirely is unrealistic, the goal is to mitigate the risks as much as possible.
“I know there’s a myth that within mega-sporting events, a lot of sex trafficking is to come into town. It doesn’t necessarily correlate. It’s already kind of happening and we can’t completely stop it, but we can help mitigate as much as possible,” Reyes said.
In the past, Houston has been reported to have high rates of human trafficking. According to a report by the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Texas has the second highest reported cases of human trafficking in the nation.
Houston Newsroom 