Democratic Republic of Congo selects Houston for World Cup base camp

• Bayou City will serve as Congo's main operations hub — where players train, recover and stay.

The intrigue: Houston wasn't selected by the first round of qualified teams. Local organizers then worked with FIFA to secure one of the final base camps — ultimately landing Congo once it qualified, Chris Canetti, president of the Houston Host Committee, tells Axios.

State of play: Congo will play against Portugal on June 17 in Houston.

• The team is returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, when the nation competed under the name Zaire.
• The team is on the rise, currently ranked No. 46 in the world, according to FIFA Men's World Ranking.

What they're saying: "We're honored to provide a home base where they can focus, prepare, and build momentum as they chase success in this historic tournament," Canetti said in a statement.

What's next: The training facility will get a full pitch replacement and upgrades ahead of the tournament, with improvements expected to stick around long after the World Cup ends.