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What souvenirs should Kansas City keep from this World Cup?
With just one quarterfinal match remaining this Saturday night, and a blowout final weekend for the FIFA Fan Festival, Kansas City is winding down its time playing host to the globe. Even though it’s time to clean up the party, not everything needs to go in the trash.
How about the giant, glowing red heart greeting crowds at the Fan Fest? Doesn’t this endearing landmark deserve to stay?
Mayor Quinton Lucas certainly thinks so. KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer said in a statement that “the Heart Gateway has become much more than an art installation.”
Although a spokesperson told KCUR the heart was not built to be permanent, “we are exploring our options.” Sounds to me like everyone wants this to happen, so why shouldn’t it?
Why shouldn’t Kansas City dream big right now? Why should we step off the global stage when the city has already proven it deserves to stand there?
The real test for Kansas City will come when the televisions turn off, the tourists depart, and local leaders are no longer performing for an audience of outsiders. Just the people who live here, work here, and want to build a life here.
Take transit as an example. The ConnectKC26 transit system will disappear after Monday, leaving the metro with its same, ill-connected, infrequent and shrinking bus program.
Maybe people won’t want to go backwards. Maybe enough car-dependent locals (and lawmakers) utilized these services to be convinced there’s value in mass transit. According to KC2026 data, 31% of passengers came from the Kansas City region.
At least, maybe these last five weeks proved there’s an appetite for better connections to sporting events and the airport — two services that Kansas City lacked before, but got plenty of use during the World Cup.
“Hey KC, No reason Airport Express + streetcar surge service + stadium gameday express can’t be permanent services going forward,” KC Streetcar executive director Tom Gerend wrote on social media this week. “High frequency, well branded, well marketed core services can have legs and make KC stronger.”
Johnson County made the first move, announcing that it would continue offering airport drop-and-ride shuttles after the World Cup. That’s a start.
As for the newly-expanded streetcar, it will be a key part of transporting soccer fans to sold-out KC Current games. Within a few years, baseball fans will likely take it to see a Royals game at Crown Center. What about a route running east-to-west? Now we’re talking.
Transforming Kansas City for the long term will take a lot more regional cooperation, serious political will and, yes, money. It won’t be easy or quick. But there may never be another moment like this one — when everyone can see what Kansas City can accomplish under pressure. When we can acutely visualize what life could be like as a bigger, international city.
Don’t residents deserve nice things, too?
Root, root, root for the home team: Your World Cup score updates
- The United States went out with a whimper Monday night, falling 4-1 to Belgium with an error-ridden disaster of a performance. But it was almost cosmic karma, capping off a corruption controversy sparked by President Donald Trump personally pressuring FIFA President President Gianni Infantino to suspend a red card against star striker Flo Balogun. FIFA obliged in the most suspiciously opaque manner, violating nearly all precedent and protocol, and sucked all the air out of an otherwise-remarkable World Cup run for the U.S. While the Stars & Stripes said the off-field drama didn’t affect their performance, it certainly seemed to energize the Belgian players. Now all three of the 2026 host countries are now eliminated — and there’s nothing the U.S. can do to overturn that.
- Argentina made a comeback for the ages against Egypt on Tuesday, returning from a 0-2 deficit to score three goals in the last 13 minutes. Even more exciting, Lionel Messi and the team will return to Kansas City for their quarterfinal match at Switzerland this Saturday, July 11 at 8 p.m.
- Algeria was sadly light work for Switzerland in the Round of 32, losing 0-2 last Thursday in Vancouver.
- England survived an intense game against Mexico on Sunday night, winning 3-2 on Mexican turf at Azteca Stadium despite getting a red card and playing a man down for nearly half the match. The Three Lions head to the quarterfinals in Miami, where they’ll face Norway on Saturday, July 11 at 4 p.m.
What it’s like riding in Kansas City's bright pedicabs
Speaking of “things that Kansas City should keep around,” have you seen those pedicabs racing around downtown and the Crossroads, blasting music and carrying tourists to the Fan Festival?
KCUR’s Celisa Calacal went along for a ride in one, speaking with riders and drivers about what this experience has been like. So I’m going to let her tell you about it:
“I love to feel the wind whipping through my hair. I can’t get that in a car or on the streetcar — it’s too air conditioned. Where I really achieved this fabulous sensation is riding in a pedicab.
I’ve been seeing these cute, bright pedicabs zipping through downtown in recent months, and even more throughout this World Cup tournament. So, following my personal curiosity, and my desire to find some relief from this heat wave, I decided to profile the people behind (and in front) of these bikes.
EZ Pedicabs was born from Atticus Sloan’s desire to transport his 12-year-old Great Dane around town, combined with his love for biking. Sloan’s twin brother, Alexander, drives a pedicab too. So does Benton Stone, a longtime friend who took me on a joyride. Sloan’s mother hand-knits the colorful awnings and the hearts decorating the cabs.
I’ve ridden in pedicabs before in other cities, and riding around downtown Kansas City, even for just a few blocks, offered a new experience in a familiar place. Like rewatching a scene from a favorite movie.
On my ride, I met a lovely group of Dutch travelers decked out in orange, who taught me the Netherlands chant (“Hup, Holland hup!”). I heard more about Stone, the joy he feels meeting new people, and the opportunities the World Cup afforded him to practice his Spanish.
Those pedicabs are faster than they look, too. My hair, on this day loose and unencumbered by any elastic or plastic clip, flew wildly about my face. It was perfect.”
Read Celisa’s article here — and just as importantly, make sure you listen to her radio story. It’s a true delight.
Kansas City welcomes rival rallies for Colombia and Ghana soccer fans
Last week, Kansas City flooded with yellow for its Round of 32 match between Ghana and Colombia. A brutal heat wave was no match for the enthusiasm of fans, who held rival rallies across town the night before the game.
Even beyond the international visitors, the World Cup game really activated the diasporic communities based here in the region.
"When you see yellow all over the city, that means passion for our soccer teams, that means kindness, so that is very important," said Gustavo Restrepo, vice president of the Colombian Cultural Association.
Although Colombia won, 1-0, Ghana fans still cheered their performance, since the team hasn't advanced past the group stage since 2010.
"Win or lose, we're always going to be behind our Black Stars," said Thomas Afful, the first chief of Ghanaians in Greater Kansas City.
Lawrence honed its Arabic, French and halal skills to be a good World Cup host to Algeria
Algeria’s run in the World Cup came to an end last week with a 0-2 loss to Switzerland. Although the match went down in Vancouver, a large crowd in downtown Lawrence, Kansas, was watching with bated breath.
Despite the defeat, Lawrence residents like Tommee Sherwood had a message for the Algerian team and its fans: "We love you and you're always, always welcome here in Lawrence, Kansas."
But how did this college town even get involved with the tournament in the first place? It turns out that Lawrence, the University of Kansas and other local organizations started working on their pitch even before Kansas City got picked as a host city in 2022.
“We knew that being in the middle of the United States would be an advantage, because of teams having to go to different places to play their games,” Lawrence Mayor Brad Finkeldei said. “So being in the middle of the country makes it easy.”
Now, it looks logical. For KCUR, Emma Noble explains how “Little Algeria” came to be.
Plus: Don’t miss this story about the United States and Algeria celebrating back-to-back independence days, and what it means for Algerians in Kansas.
Kickin’ the ball around Kansas City
- Last call: It’s not just Kansas City. Bars in Lawrence also don’t want to stay open late for the World Cup, even though they can. (KCUR)
- Prime seating: 52 city employees and council members with Kansas City, Missouri, received free World Cup tickets (plus guest seats). Officials said the tickets were part of the sponsorship agreement from Kansas City’s $15 million contribution to the host committee. (KMBC)
- Who’s benefiting? Barbecue joints in Kansas City may be crowded, but other restaurants and businesses aren’t getting much of a World Cup bump, especially if they’re not located close to the action. (KCUR)
- Opening doors: 515 Music Hub, a new live performance venue, secured its space in the Crossroads thanks to Kansas City’s World Cup efforts to fill empty storefronts. Organizers hope to secure donations and sponsorships to keep the music flowing beyond the fall. (KCUR)
- ‘Football season numbers’: For sports bars in Columbia, Missouri, the summer months are usually a slow time. Not so during this World Cup, which has helped pack in crowds no matter which teams are playing. (Columbia Missourian)
- Carrying the flag: Allison and Joseph, two teens in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, got to accompany players and carry the team flags onto the field for last Friday’s World Cup match. (Axios)
- Gonna be Golden: Olathe’s Golden Coffee became a central meeting place for Algerian fans during this World Cup. (Johnson County Post)
- We’re no. 1: Once again, Kansas City is the top market in the country for watching the World Cup. The U.S. men’s win last week over Bosnia and Herzegovina was viewed by 26.4 million people, making it the most-watched English-language soccer telecast in U.S. history. We’ll find out next week if that record gets beaten by this disastrous Belgium match. (Fox Sports)
- What’s on tap: Some of Kansas City’s best local bands are playing the final weekend of the Fan Festival this weekend — including The Freedom Affair and Hembree, and legends like Sheryl Crow and Tech N9ne. Oh, and the All American Rejects on Saturday! (KC2026)
Kickin’ the ball around the continent
- It’s no Eras Tour: Data shows that Toronto saw little economic gain from hosting the World Cup, especially compared to the $380 million that local taxpayers paid for the privilege of their six games. Taylor Swift’s tour stops in the city actually inspired more of a spending increase than the tournament did. (CBC)
- Hey, hey, goodbye: Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, Neymar of Brazil, Guillermo Ochoa of Mexico and Manuel Neuer of Germany are a few of iconic footballers who have now exited their final World Cup. (NPR)
- GOOOOOOOAAAALLLL: Spanish-language broadcasts on Telemundo are attracting record viewership — even from viewers who don’t speak Spanish. (NPR)
- Traffic, transit, trash: Seattle has also learned a lot from its time hosting the World Cup, including how to encourage more composting and how to make mass transit more appealing to residents. (KNKX)
- Cheers! Both inside and outside stadiums, the World Cup has driven up beer sales in host cities “like several Super Bowls happening all at once,” according to one beer industry economist. (WLRN)
- Great Scots: After renting yellow school buses to shuttle hundreds of Scotland fans to Boston’s World Cup match, the Tartan Army gave a $15,000 donation to a Massachusetts charity that helps students in need.
- Payday: For reaching the round of 16, FIFA awarded the U.S. about $15 million in prize money. Of that, $12 million will be shared equally between the men’s and women’s players, under a landmark collective bargaining agreement.. When the U.S. women play in next year’s World Cup in Brazil, they could return the favor. (The Athletic)
Temperature check
Ahead of Kansas City’s last World Cup game this Saturday — and the tournament’s grand finale the following Sunday — I want to know what’s sticking with you, personally.
For next week’s newsletter, I’ll be collecting stories of Kansas Citians’ favorite moments from the World Cup that you can’t stop thinking about.
Think of the people you met, cool outfits you saw, exciting goals you watched with a crowd, soccer traditions you learned, bites of food you tried and other instances of human connection brought out by this unique event.
Maybe it was from inside one of Kansas City’s games, from a watch party or the Fan Festival, or just something you observed walking around town. After all, this tournament has been pretty inescapable. What’s brought you joy?
Email me at gabe@kcur.org and I may include your favorite moment in next week’s newsletter — plus some reflections from the KCUR newsroom.
