World Cup KC

The popular English soccer league is bringing its 11th Fan Fest to Kansas City, and fans can attend for free.

Kansas City's outdoor dining program has awarded $300,000 in grants to more than 30 local restaurants, coffee shops and pubs since last year, in a push to create more vibrant public spaces ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

With more than 6,000 open food service job listings and no coordinated plan to address staffing, Kansas City restaurant leaders worry they won’t be ready for the massive influx of World Cup visitors in 2026.

Visa cardholders can enter a drawing for the first phase of ticket sales beginning September 10. Winners will be able to purchase tickets to any of the World Cup’s 104 matches, including six in Kansas City.

The two-acre site will feature a Bierhalle, working brewery, event space, amphitheater, covered patio, children’s play area and off-leash dog park.

The eyes of the world will soon be on Arrowhead Stadium for a World Cup quarterfinal match. But Lawrence, Kansas, is also trying to get in on the action by promoting itself as the perfect training site for a team.

The University of Kansas and the city of Lawrence are pitching the Rock Chalk Park sports complex as the perfect training ground for teams in next year's World Cup.

Police say they face the “unprecedented challenge” of planning for the largest event the department has ever seen, with Kansas City hosting hundreds of thousands of young, potentially rowdy fans during a hot summer with 23-hour-a-day liquor sales.

RideKC buses are each already equipped with four interior and four exterior cameras. New AI-powered cameras are being installed to detect possible security threats and automatically alert authorities.

Volunteers will be instrumental in introducing the world to Kansas City during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. KC2026 needs 6,000 people to take on volunteer roles during the games, the fan festival and other events.

A new World Cup countdown clock is up and running at the Scheels Soccer Complex in Overland Park.

Hotel rooms, buses, and liquor laws are just a few of the problems that Kansas City will need to figure out in the next year, before the first World Cup games kick off at Arrowhead Stadium next June.