sports

Going to a World Cup game, for many, requires hours of sitting in online queues, months of planning and thousands of dollars. Still, for KCUR health reporter Noah Taborda, the opportunity is too important to pass up. Plus: Amateur soccer players in Kansas City are hoping to host their own local pickup games with players from other countries.

As Kansas City builds a reputation as a haven for women's sports, players for the new KC Diamonds softball team are excited to call it home.

Collecting Panini stickers is a World Cup tradition beloved in Europe and Latin America. In the U.S., interest has been building steadily, and this summer, the buzz is bigger than ever.

FIFA has always had a peculiar way to sell tickets to the World Cup. It never faced any major issues — until prices soared for the 2026 tournament.

Nate Bukaty, who calls games for Major League Soccer on Apple TV and previously served as a television announcer for Sporting KC, is out with a new book titled "Perfect Pitch: How Kansas City Became the Heart of American Soccer and Landed the World Cup." He'll speak at a Rainy Day Books event with co-author Rustin Dodd on May 28.

Residents and visitors can get in the World Cup spirit with these six soccer-themed exhibitions at museums, galleries and institutions across the area.

As soccer fever comes to Kansas City, KCUR is hosting an event called "KC for the W" at CPKC Stadium on May 18 to celebrate the women who lead the way in telling sports stories in our region and beyond. Kansas City native Becky Sullivan, a sports reporter for NPR, will feature on a speaking panel.

Television writer and director Michael Schur and sportswriter Joe Posnanski will be in Kansas City on May 21 for a Rainy Day Books event promoting their new book, "Big Fan: Two Friends, 81,589 miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love."

One of Kansas City’s pickup soccer hot-spots is right around the corner from the upcoming FIFA Fan Festival. Players and employees at The Soccer Lot hope fans from around the world might pop in for a competitive but laid-back match.

Kansas City’s six World Cup matches are among dozens seeing significant resale ticket prices drops in the last month. One local reseller attributes the losses to fan frustration with FIFA’s new confusing “dynamic pricing” system and more matches this year than for previous tournaments.

You've decided to give the World Cup a watch, just to see what the rest of the planet is so mad for. Even if you played soccer as a kid, there's a lot that's said during the course of a game that may have you scratching your head. We've got you covered.

The International Football Association Board approved a rule that would penalize players with a red card if they cover their mouths when confronting another player. The measure will be in place at this summer's World Cup.