LongFi Solutions Brings Carrier-Grade Wi-Fi to Host-City Venues Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026™

Houston-based wireless infrastructure company deploys Passpoint-enabled Wi-Fi at venues where fans are expected to gather before, during, and after matches.

HOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES, May 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- LongFi Solutions today announced the rollout of its carrier-grade, Passpoint-enabled Wi-Fi platform at hospitality venues across U.S. host cities in advance of FIFA World Cup 2026™.

The deployments are aimed at a familiar matchday problem: phones that show signal but stop working when too many people gather in the same venue, block, rooftop, restaurant, or fan zone.

The initial rollout includes:

- Automatic Wi-Fi access for fans on participating carriers, with no password, splash page, or sign-up process.
- Voice-grade performance for packed venues, supporting rideshare apps, mobile tickets, contactless payments, messaging, and live video.
- Live deployments in Houston and Miami, with additional host-city venues scheduled to come online before the tournament opens.

A Matchday Connectivity Problem Outside the Stadium

When FIFA World Cup 2026™ opens on June 11, U.S. host cities are expected to see heavy fan traffic well beyond the stadium gates. Much of that activity will happen at bars, restaurants, rooftops, hotels, parking lots, and neighborhood gathering places.

That is often where mobile connectivity breaks down. A nearby cell tower may be enough for a normal day, but not for hundreds or thousands of people trying to pull up tickets, send payments, post video, call rideshares, or coordinate with friends at the same time.

LongFi Connect is designed to take pressure off the macro cellular network in those high-density settings. When a guest enters a LongFi-supported venue, their phone can connect to the local Wi-Fi network using the same carrier credentials already stored on the device. No guest action is required.

Houston: Sunset Rooftop Lounge

In Houston’s East Downtown district, LongFi has deployed at Sunset Rooftop Lounge, a rooftop bar with a fully retractable roof and skyline views of the downtown core.

“Sunset is the only rooftop in Houston with a fully retractable roof, and the downtown view is a big part of why people come here,” said Dominic Moreau, Owner of Sunset Rooftop Lounge. “During the tournament, we expect fans to be here before and after matches, watching with friends and showing off Houston. Reliable cell connectivity matters for the guest experience, but it also helps the broader community when people need to message friends, call a rideshare, make a payment, or get help.”

Sunset is one of several Houston venues already live on the LongFi network, with additional deployments in progress ahead of the tournament.

Miami: El Patio Wynwood and Mayami

In Miami, LongFi is supporting El Patio Wynwood and Mayami in the Wynwood arts district. Mayami is a 10,000-square-foot Mayan Revival-inspired cantina from the El Patio team. Both venues operate in one of Miami’s busiest indoor and outdoor hospitality corridors and are expected to see significant fan traffic during the tournament window.

How LongFi Connect Works

For fans, the experience is simple. Walk into a supported venue and the phone connects automatically when the user is on a participating carrier. There is no Wi-Fi password to type, no splash page to dismiss, and no account to create.

The technology behind the experience is Passpoint, also known as Hotspot 2.0. It allows a mobile device to authenticate securely to Wi-Fi using carrier credentials already on the phone. The result is a cellular-like Wi-Fi experience inside high-traffic venues.

For venue operators, LongFi can enable existing Wi-Fi networks or adds new infrastructure, if necessary. The platform combines Wi-Fi 7 access points, 6 GHz spectrum, directional antennas, and encrypted carrier authentication pathways. The network is designed to work alongside venue cameras, point-of-sale systems, production crews, and temporary event connectivity without creating another operational burden for the venue.

“The hard part of high-density Wi-Fi is not just coverage. It is adding capacity while maintaining voice-grade quality in a complicated wireless environment,” said Preston Havill, Wireless Architect at LongFi Solutions. “We design around how many people are on the network, what they are trying to do, and how the radios perform when the room is full.”

Proven in Crowded Event Environments

LongFi has already tested its platform in high-traffic hospitality and event settings.

In April and May 2026, LongFi completed a proof of concept at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Attendees on participating carriers used the LongFi network to access AXS tickets at the gates during peak arrival periods. Across the festival deployment, LongFi sustained airtime availability above 60 percent and retry rates below 10 percent, two important indicators of Wi-Fi performance in dense event environments.

During Mardi Gras 2026, LongFi partnered with several New Orleans hospitality groups in the French Quarter, connecting more than 140,000 people daily at peak across Carnival weekend.

“In previous Mardi Gras weekends we would hear complaints about cell signal inside our venue. This year we did not,” said Nick Genovese, General Manager of The Original French Market Restaurant & Bar.

Supporting Venues Before the Crowds Arrive

“FIFA World Cup 2026 is going to put real pressure on host-city networks, especially in the places where fans gather outside the stadium,” said Josh Heller, Chief Executive Officer of LongFi Solutions. “Bars, restaurants, rooftops, and entertainment districts are going to carry a lot of the fan experience. LongFi Connect gives those venues a way to improve connectivity before the rush starts, without asking guests to change how they use their phones.”

Infrastructure That Outlasts the Tournament

LongFi’s host-city deployments are designed as permanent infrastructure, not temporary event coverage. After the final match on July 19, the same carrier-grade Wi-Fi networks will continue to support venue operators, guests, local residents, and public-safety use cases in the surrounding community.

About LongFi Solutions

LongFi Solutions is a Houston-based wireless networking and infrastructure company specializing in carrier-grade Wi-Fi, neutral-host deployments, cellular offload, and IoT device management. A member of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, LongFi designs and operates Passpoint-enabled networks for hospitality, entertainment, retail, and public-venue environments across North America. For more information, visit www.longfisolutions.com.

FIFA World Cup 2026™ is a trademark of FIFA. LongFi Solutions is not an official sponsor, partner, or supplier of FIFA or FIFA World Cup 2026™.

Joshua Heller
LongFi Solutions
info@longfisolutions.com

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