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One family's arduous, emotional quest for World Cup tickets

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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.

KCUR Health Reporter Noah Taborda spent the last year preparing to travel from Kansas City to Mexico to watch the Colombian national team at the World Cup with his dad and younger brother. It’s taken hours of waiting and researching, and cost thousands of dollars… and they still don’t have tickets. Noah details why, despite all that, family history, national pride and future memories make it all worth it.

With the World Cup starting this Thursday, Kansas City is expecting cultural exchange in small businesses, coffee shops, and restaurants. But non-professional soccer players expect to facilitate their own connections with visitors through local pickup games. KCUR's Brandon Azim reports.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Noah Taborda. It is produced by Byron Love, and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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Staying mentally and physically healthy can be a lot of work — exercising, eating right and navigating our complicated medical system. As KCUR’s health and wellness reporter, I want to connect Kansas Citians with new and existing resources to improve their well-being and tell stories that inspire them to enjoy healthier lives.<br/><br/>Reach me at noahtaborda@kcur.org.
As an on-demand producer, I am focused on using my skills and experiences across multiple digital applications, platforms and media fields to create community focused audio, video and on-demand products for KCUR Studios. The media that I produce aims to inform, entertain and connect with the Kansas City metro area as we continue to learn from each other. Email me at byronlove@kcur.org.
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