Houston, TX -- Every FIFA World Cup host city has a massive watch party for fans who can't make it to the games.

In Houston, East Downtown is the destination for soccer fans looking to live the World Cup experience.

Houston Hall is one of the few buildings in the Fan Fest area with AC, food stations and showcases of Houston culture.

Professional Painter Opie Otterstad was given the task of creating art for the space.

"When the city of Houston contacted me about doing a soccer painting with the World Cup being in my backyard I thought okay," Otterstad said. "They wanted something that featured the city of Houston, the stadium and the World Cup. Houston got it so I put the painting together and have been working on it since the start."

Otterstad also said seeing the different fan bases has been the best part.

"The multicultural aspect of it has been great. And seeing the different types of crowds," Otterstad said. "The Mexico crowd was insane, the American crowd was. And last night the Morocco Brazil match was so much fun because people are so engaged in this whole thing."

The Fan Fest also features food options from local vendors. Angel Ortiz of Sushic is one of them.

"Right here we have the shaggy dog. If you don't like shaggy dog we also have chicken potstickers and spicy tuna rolls," Ortiz said. "If you're in the mood for sushi and want something different, come out."

The Fan Fest is free and will be open through July 19, 2026.