As Houston prepares for its biggest global moment in decades, one of the city’s splashiest hospitality groups is betting big on the World Cup.
Prolific Houston restaurateur Ben Berg—the force behind Berg Hospitality Group and longtime Rodeo Houston favorite The Ranch Saloon + Steakhouse—is teaming up with nightlife impresario Army Sadeghi and Houston soccer legend Brian Ching to launch The Ranch Presents Pitch Live. The massive entertainment complex will take over the former Warehouse Live at 813 St. Emanuel Street for 39 days during FIFA World Cup 2026.
The trio is no stranger to Houston’s see-and-be-seen dining, nightlife, and hospitality scene, making them uniquely suited to pull off one of the city’s splashiest World Cup activations. The concept is also backed by Houston investor Rick Perez of 1588 Ventures, alongside Ashley Muncie, co-owner of Sophie Cocktail & Terrace in Montrose.
Timed to coincide with Houston’s six-week run as a host city, the 35,000-square-foot concept aims to become the city’s unofficial headquarters for fans flooding into town from around the world. Located steps from the official FIFA Fan Festival and directly across from Ching’s soccer-centric bar Pitch 25, the sprawling pop-up will blend Texas hospitality, elevated dining, nightlife, and massive match watch parties into one all-day, all-night spectacle.
This is far from a casual sports bar setup. The trio is transforming the stripped-down former concert venue into a fully immersive hospitality destination complete with multiple bars, chef-driven food, private VIP lounges, DJs, giant viewing screens, bottle service, and what organizers describe as a “members-club-level” guest experience tailored to an international audience. The pop-up will exist only for the duration of the World Cup before disappearing entirely.
“With the World Cup coming to Houston, we saw an opportunity to create something that doesn’t just meet the moment, but elevates it,” said Ben Berg in a press release. “This is about showcasing the best of what Houston does—food, hospitality, energy—on a global stage.”
For Berg, the project marks a massive evolution of the Ranch Saloon concept, which spent three years becoming one of the Houston Rodeo’s buzziest attractions before sitting this year out as Landry’s stepped in and rebranded the concept as 1932 Cattleman’s Club. In many ways, Pitch Live feels like a second act for The Ranch—one with an even bigger stage and global audience.
Pitch Live raises the stakes dramatically given the scale and speed of the build-out. Organizers say the venue is being designed and constructed in under six weeks to handle massive crowds while still maintaining a luxury-forward experience. The project also signals how aggressively Houston’s hospitality industry is preparing for the economic and cultural boom expected from the World Cup. FIFA’s arrival is projected to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Texas, with Houston hosting seven matches throughout the tournament.
Few people understand Houston soccer culture better than Ching, the former Houston Dynamo star who has become one of the city’s most visible ambassadors for the sport. His involvement gives the project credibility beyond nightlife and hospitality.
“Houston is a true soccer city, and this is our moment to show that to the world,” said Ching, in a press release. “By blending the spirit of Pitch 25 with the elevated experience of Pitch Live, we’re creating something bigger than a venue—it’s a place where fans, cultures, and communities come together to celebrate the game.”
The surrounding neighborhood is expected to transform alongside it. Walker Street is expected to close to vehicle traffic during the tournament, creating a pedestrian-friendly entertainment corridor connecting Shell Energy Stadium, Discovery Green, the George R. Brown Convention Center, and the FIFA Fan Festival.
In other words, EaDo is poised to become Houston’s center of gravity during the World Cup—a sprawling, weeks-long celebration of soccer, nightlife, and Texas hospitality.
The Ranch Presents Pitch Live, 813 St. Emanuel St., Houston, www.pitchliveranch.com
