The 2026 FIFA World Cup is inching closer, and officials in Montgomery County are preparing to help ensure safety for players, visitors, and residents following a two-week training exercise in Qatar.
Members of the Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management and the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office participated in the Watan Exercise 2025 in Qatar earlier this month.
The Watan exercise in Qatar is a nationwide, annual joint training system for military, security, and civil entities to test and improve the country’s emergency response capabilities, according to the Ministry of Interior Qatar. The 2025 version focused on enhancing readiness for events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup by practicing emergency response.
Houston is hosting seven World Cup matches. Five of those are group stage games, meaning the draw and subsequent schedule announcement will reveal five matchups in Houston. The World Cup starts June 11 with the first match in Houston kicking off June 14…