HOUSTON — Thousands of fans from the Netherlands and Sweden marched through Houston on Saturday ahead of their FIFA World Cup match at NRG Stadium, where the Dutch national team defeated Sweden, 5-1.
Dutch supporters kicked off their traditional “Oranje Fanwalk” from Rice Stadium and marched about two miles to NRG Stadium, led by the team’s iconic Orange Bus, which has toured several Texas cities during the World Cup.
Many fans wore orange-themed costumes, wigs and hats as they made their way down Greenbriar Drive. Firefighters sprayed water on the crowd to help them cope with the heat, which several supporters described as intense.
“This is crazy,” Dutch fan Paul van Duijvenvoorde told Houston Public Media during the march. “I won’t take my shirt off, but I’m soaked. It’s totally crazy.”
Paul Hirschel and Caroline Dessing, two fans from Rotterdam, dressed as orange versions of the Statue of Liberty.
“We thought Lady Liberty stands for democracy, for freedom, for international friendship,” Dessing said. “And those are all the things that are very important to us and to the Dutch community of football lovers.”
Residents along the route cheered the fans, while others joined the festivities before heading to the stadium.
The Orange Bus, a fixture of the Dutch national team’s fan culture, arrived in Texas earlier this year through the Port of Galveston. It traveled to Dallas for the Netherlands’ match against Japan before returning to Houston.
Fans aboard the bus sang along to “Links Rechts,” a song by Dutch act Snollebollekes that has become an unofficial anthem for the team.
Houston resident Noe Contreras, who joined the march and attended the game, said the event highlighted the city’s diversity.
“Seeing all the cultural fusion that we’re seeing here, it’s amazing, honestly,” he said.
Meanwhile, Swedish fans gathered at Helix Park in the Texas Medical Center before beginning their own march to NRG Stadium.
Thousands of supporters wearing yellow-and-blue jerseys and Viking hats filled the park before walking nearly two miles to the venue.
“I’m thirsty,” Swedish fan Emil Gerdim said. “You can’t drink beer on the streets. That’s a shame.”
Gerdim arrived in Houston on Thursday after watching Sweden defeat Tunisia, 5-1, in Monterrey, Mexico, in its opening World Cup match.
“We come with a lot of confidence since the 5 to 1 win,” he said. “So maybe a draw today is good for us.”
Fans chanted and beat drums as they marched toward the stadium. Public safety personnel and firefighters sprayed water along the route to help them cope with the heat.
Shortly before kickoff, clouds gathered over NRG Stadium and rain began to fall.
Swedish fan Ulrica Lindelof, who traveled from Sweden with family and friends, praised Houston’s hospitality.
“I think everyone is very nice, very helpful,” she said. “It’s been great. Good service, good organization, very good.”
Eric Strom, another supporter wearing a Viking hat, said he was ready for the occasion.
“Always got to be ready to go to battle,” he said. “Going to be a grind today. Then you got to be ready if they need you on the pitch.”
Local resident Angela Jackson, who watched the Swedish march from her apartment on Cambridge Street, said city officials had managed the World Cup crowds well.
“They’ve done a good job,” Jackson said.