Soccer Legend Briana Scurry to Headline Free Conference at Rice

Two-day event will explore the global impact of 'the beautiful game' ahead of 2026 World Cup

Feb. 3, 2026 at 7:15pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Rice University is hosting a free two-day conference called 'The World at Play: The Beautiful Game in 2026' that will feature legendary U.S. women's national team goalkeeper Briana Scurry as a keynote speaker. The interdisciplinary event will bring together experts from various fields to discuss soccer's cultural, economic, and diplomatic influence as the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches.

Why it matters

With Houston set to host several 2026 World Cup matches, this conference provides an opportunity for the broader community to engage in dynamic discussions about the global impact of soccer. By featuring perspectives from academia, sports, and the humanities, the event aims to foster deeper understanding of the sport's role in shaping culture and society.

The details

The conference will take place on Friday and Saturday at Rice's BioScience Research Collaborative. Each day will feature four roundtable discussions on topics ranging from soccer's influence on culture to its diplomatic implications. In addition to Scurry, the keynote speakers include historian Laurent Dubois, who has written extensively on soccer. The panels will also include experts such as former Premier League player Earl Barrett, sports economist Stefan Szymanski, and local soccer statistician Jen Cooper.

  • The conference will take place on Friday, February 28 and Saturday, February 29, 2026.
  • Briana Scurry is scheduled to speak at 5 p.m. on Friday, February 28.

The players

Briana Scurry

A legendary goalkeeper for the U.S. women's national team, Scurry was the first Black woman and first woman goalkeeper elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2017. She was a member of the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup-winning team and a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist.

Laurent Dubois

A historian who has written multiple books on soccer, Dubois is one of the keynote speakers at the conference.

Caroline Fache

A French studies professor at Rice University and the co-organizer of the conference.

Jacqueline Couti

The chair of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Rice University and the other co-organizer of the conference.

Reginald DesRoches

The president of Rice University, who emphasized the university's commitment to engaging the broader Houston community in conversations about culture, sport, and society.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We believe universities have a responsibility to be open spaces for dialogue, curiosity and connection — places where ideas are shaped not only within academic walls but through active engagement with the cities they serve.”

— Reginald DesRoches, President, Rice University (Rice University)

“Global has become a buzzword but really this is what it is. If there's one activity which is really global, it's football.”

— Jacqueline Couti, Chair of Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Rice University (Houston Chronicle)

What’s next

The conference is free and open to the public, with a registration form available online. Attendees can choose to attend the entire event or just specific panels that interest them.

The takeaway

This interdisciplinary conference at Rice University demonstrates the university's commitment to engaging the broader Houston community in dynamic discussions about the global impact of soccer, particularly as the city prepares to host several matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.