HOUSTON – The work is now underway to create a mural in hopes of attracting the 2026 FIFA World Cup bid for the City of Houston.
The World Cup is the most popular and prestigious event in the world and if Houston wins a bid to host the event, it could have a big impact on the city’s economy.
A popular local artist, along with six others, started working on the mural early Thursday morning.
The mural will be so large it will be visible from aircrafts departing and arriving at Hobby Airport.
In addition to the mural, large ceramic soccer balls will be painted and later displayed inside Bush and Hobby airports.
“Well, you know in Texas we love everything big,” Alton DuLaney, curator of Public Art for the Houston Airports said. Alton DuLaney is the Curator of Public Art for the Houston Airports.
He says the mural will spotlight all things that make Houston, Houston.
The mural is gigantic and will stretch 10,000-square-foot across a building near Hobby Airport.
“We’re going have the Astrodome, we’re going to have a city skyline. There’s going to be a beautiful airplane in there, a cowboy, maybe a man on the moon with the Texas flag, a space shuttle and then, of course, some giant soccer balls,” DuLaney said.
The big display is all about showing support for Houston to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“It would be an honor to host it here in the city and it would have a massive economic impact and bring in thousands of visitors from across the world,” Chris Canetti, President of the Houston 2026 World Cub Bid Committee said.
The mural is called “Gateway to the World,” and award-winning artist GONZO247 and six others are working to bring the mural to life.
“For me, I’m really excited and I’m happy to be able to represent my city in my city,” GONZO247 said.
GONZO247 says it will take him a few weeks to complete the mural.
Over the next six months, the bidding process will continue, and FIFA will visit Houston and name a winner by the end of the year.