An estimated 650,000 visitors are expected to come to Kansas City for the 2026 World Cup — with the first matches set for June 16, exactly one year from today.
KC2026, the nonprofit overseeing Kansas City's strategy and planning for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will need an estimated 6,000 volunteers to help execute the largest event in Kansas City's history.
With six matches, including a quarterfinal, and three potential base camps, KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer said Kansas City could see up to 10 teams throughout the duration of the Cup.
"When you think about the fact that we have a quarterfinal match, and you look at teams that have made it to a quarterfinal, these are not, generally speaking, Cinderella teams, right? These are teams that have large fan bases," Kramer told KCUR's Up To Date. "They have long history in soccer, so that quarter final almost guarantees that we're going to get one of those, those big countries."
Transporting those hundreds of thousands of visitors throughout the bi-state region is complex, but Kramer expressed confidence in their ability to deliver.
"I feel so good about the team we have in place," she said.
Fans will have the option to use park and ride locations or be transported from the FIFA Fan Festival, planned for the National WW1 Museum and Memorial, to Arrowhead Stadium. Limited parking will be available at the stadium itself.
Kramer said there are 45 agencies involved in ensuring the safety and security of the games and visitors.
KC2026 is planning to host a small business readiness program to answer questions of business owners. The nonprofit is putting together a how-to guide to help businesses learn about licensure for liquor and watch parties, plus how to promote the event to the international guests.
Making sure guests feel welcome is also a concern of KC2026 — recent political tension, including the Trump administration's reinstated travel ban affecting at least one qualifying World Cup team, has distracted from the World Cup's unifying message.
"There will be geopolitical uncertainty that we can't predict, as there always is, and again, we just have to plan based on what we know," Kramer said.
- Pam Kramer, CEO, KC2026
