NASA Brings Space Exploration to the FIFA World Cup

• NASA hosted a free interactive exhibit at the FIFA Fan Festival™ in Houston from June 11 to July 19, 2026, attracting over 500,000 visitors.
• The exhibit promoted the Artemis program, the International Space Station, and future human space exploration through hands-on displays.
• Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Mark Vande Hei participated in tournament events, with Vande Hei performing a ceremonial kickoff.

Exhibition Highlights

• Attendees engaged with various displays, including an Orion spacecraft model, an International Space Station mock-up, and the Orion Crew Survival System suit.
• Interactive features included a lunar rover simulator, a "Moon Base" display showcasing future habitat concepts, and lunar exploration tool demonstrations.
• Visitors viewed astromaterials, Hubble Space Telescope imagery, and a space-flown soccer ball.

Astronaut Engagement

• Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman and Pilot Victor Glover were honored as stadium captains for the Netherlands-Sweden match at NRG Stadium on June 20, 2026.
• NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei shared personal experiences at the closing ceremony, highlighting the parallels between the concentration required for spacewalks and soccer matches.

STEM and Outreach

• NASA partnered with Adidas to create a "STEMonstration" filmed aboard the ISS, illustrating how space physics relates to soccer.
• Expedition 74 crew members provided prerecorded greetings and messages throughout the tournament to audiences in the United States and Mexico.
• NASA volunteers from the Johnson Space Center staffed the exhibit, facilitating public engagement with Artemis III mission goals.