Brian Ching Announced as 2026 Houston Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

HOUSTON, TX (March 11,2026) — The Sports Authority Foundation is proud to announce that Houston Dynamo legend Brian Ching has been selected as a member of the Houston Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026, joining fellow inductee JJ Watt.   

Ching represents the second of three stops on the Houston Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Announcement Tour, presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods. 

An original member of the Houston Dynamo, Ching played a pivotal role in the club’s historic launch, helping lead the team to back-to-back MLS Cup championships in 2006 and 2007. His performance in the 2006 MLS Cup Final, including scoring the dramatic overtime equalizerand converting the decisive penalty kick, earned him MLS Cup MVP honors and cemented his place in Houston sports history. 

In the Dynamo’s inaugural season, Ching scored 14 goals and quickly became one of the most recognizable figures in American soccer. The same year, he was named to the United States roster for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.  

“Brian Ching helped lay the foundation for professional soccer in Houston,” said Ryan Walsh, CEO of the Harris County–Houston Sports Authority and Sports Authority Foundation. “From the very beginning of the Dynamo era, Brian embodied leadership, consistency, and a team-first mentality that helped establish a winning culture for the club. Brian has often said how quickly Houston embraced the team and made it feel like home, and that connection was evident in the way he played and the way he gave back to the community. His contributions on the field and his commitment to the Houston community have left a lasting legacy, and we are proud to recognize him as the first MLS player inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame.”   

Watt’s career was defined not only by elite production, but by perseverance. He overcame multiple season-ending injuries to return repeatedly to elite form, famously playing through severe injuries and embodying his personal motto: Dream Big, Work Hard. That resilience made him more than a football player; it made him a source of pride and strength for Houston. 

“JJ Watt represents everything that makes Houston sports special: excellence, toughness, heart, and an unwavering commitment to this community,” said Ryan Walsh, CEO of the Harris County–Houston Sports Authority and Sports Authority Foundation. “From the moment he arrived as a young player from Wisconsin, JJ embraced Houston and Houston embraced him. He often says this city became family to him, and that bond was evident in everything he did — on the field, in the locker room, and across the community. His legacy extends far beyond statistics. It lives in the culture he helped build and the way he showed up for Houston when it mattered most.” 

Ching’s path to becoming a Houston soccer icon was anything but conventional. Growing up in Hale‘iwa, Hawaii, Ching originally dreamed of becoming a professional surfer and did not begin playing organized soccer until the age of seven, agreeing to play only if his mother served as his coach. 

He eventually became one of the top high school players in Honolulu but was never selected for a U.S. junior national team and only drew the attention of Gonzaga University when his club team traveled to the mainland for a tournament. 

At Gonzaga, Ching developed into one of the most accomplished players in program history, finishing his career as the school’s all-time leader in assists (23) while ranking third in goals (34) and tied for second in total points (91). A First-Team All-West Coast Conference selectionin 1999 and 2000, Ching later became the first Hawaiian-born player drafted into Major League Soccer when the LA Galaxy selected him 16th overall in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft.   

After limited playing time as a rookie and a season in the USL, Ching found his breakthrough with the San Jose Earthquakes, helping lead the club to the 2003 MLS Cup championship. 

Ching’s success continued in Houston, where he became the face of the Dynamo during the club’s early championship years. Over the course of his career, he earned six MLS All-Star selections, won the 2004 MLS Golden Boot, and was named 2004 MLS Comeback Player of the Year.  

Ching remains the Houston Dynamo’s all-time leading scorer, finishing his career with 69 goals across all competitions, including 56 MLS regular-season goals. Internationally, he earned 45 caps and scored 11 goals for the U.S. Men’s National Team, helping the United States win the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup. 

Off the pitch, Ching has been a pillar of the Houston community through various charitable initiatives. In 2011, he partnered with Habitat for Humanity to launch “The House That Ching Built,” a project dedicated to building homes for families in need. He continues to support Habitat for Humanity and other charitable efforts across the region. 

Following his retirement from professional soccer in 2013, Ching remained deeply involved in Houston’s soccer community. He served as Managing Director of the Houston Dash from 2014 to 2019 and, in 2018, opened Pitch 25 Beer Garden in East Downtown, a soccer-focused venue that has become a central gathering place for Dynamo supporters and Houston’s avid soccer community. 

Ching’s loyalty to Houston, a city he has often described as “a second home,” and his role in shaping the early success of professional soccer in the region make him a fitting choice as the first MLS player inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame. 

“Thank you to the city that I fell in love with and to the people — Houston is home for me,” said Brian Ching. “I never expected this when I came to Houston in 2006, but I am just so thankful for so many memories with the team and with the people here.” 

Ching will be formally honored in the Fall of 2026 alongside fellow inductee JJ Watt and a third distinguished member of the Class of 2026 to be announced later.