NASA reported on Aug. 3, 2026, that more than 500,000 visitors attended its free interactive exhibit at the FIFA Fan Festival in East Downtown Houston, which ran from June 11 to July 19, 2026, during the World Cup. The agency said the exhibit presented the Artemis program, a Moon Base display, the International Space Station and other elements of human space exploration.

Displays included an Orion spacecraft exhibit, an ISS model, the Orion Crew Survival System suit, astromaterials, Hubble Space Telescope imagery, a lunar and Mars touch table, a space-flown soccer ball and a lunar rover simulator. Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman and Pilot Victor Glover appeared at NRG Stadium as stadium captains before the June 20 Netherlands-Sweden match, receiving a standing ovation from more than 67,000 fans, NASA said; weather prevented a planned main-stage appearance, and the pair gave media interviews instead.

The agency also described a STEMonstration filmed aboard the space station with Adidas and greetings from Expedition 74 crew members, including a “Viking Row” recorded by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot. NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei closed the festival on July 19, the report said, and Jessica Cordero, Johnson community engagement lead, credited NASA volunteers for connecting with fans.