Next summer, the world will descend on North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Of course, that includes Kansas City, which earned the right to be one of the host cities.
When hundreds of thousands of people come to a city all at once, there is a lot to consider, including transportation, hotels, and security.
Lindsey Douglas, the COO of KC2026 — the nonprofit responsible for event preparation — says around 650,000 visitors are expected to visit our region during the World Cup. That's more than the city's population.
"We are going to feel the impact of these visitors more so than any other host city because we have the smallest population comparatively of any of the other host cities for this tournament," Douglas told KCUR.
"We're really excited about the opportunity that gives us to really rise on the world stage, and demonstrate why Kansas City is a great place to live and come to visit for these kinds of events."
- Lindsey Douglas, COO of KC2026
