Kansas City will host six FIFA World Cup matches in the summer of 2026. Whether you’re a local or among the hundreds of thousands of people expected to travel in, KCUR put together some pointers for what to expect from the tournament — and how to become a soccer fan.
A People's History of Kansas City: How we became a soccer city
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Courtesy of Jim Portuguez / Crysta Henthorne KCUR 89.3Kansas City may not have embraced soccer at all if not for the efforts of early immigrants who fought for the beautiful game — before there were even dedicated fields to play on. (En español.) -
Missouri Valley Room / Kansas City Public Library/ Crysta Henthorne/KCUR 89.3The founder of the Chiefs, Lamar Hunt, was a steadfast believer in soccer, from the failed attempts at a national league, through the creation of MLS and the very first U.S. soccer stadium. (En español.)
Leading up to the 2026 World Cup, KCUR's podcast A People's History of Kansas City is exploring how we became a soccer city. This project is in collaboration with the Great Game Lab at Arizona State University, which explores how sport connects us to the rest of the world, and the Us@250 Initiative at New America.
If you know about a local champion of soccer in Kansas City who helped bring the city to this extraordinary moment, email us at peopleshistorykc@kcur.org
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Mientras Estados Unidos se prepara para la Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026, es difícil recordar que el fútbol profesional en este país parecía un sueño imposible. Pero un empresario de Kansas City, más conocido como el fundador de los Chiefs, era un firme creyente. Desde los intentos fallidos de crear una liga nacional, pasando por la creación de la MLS y el primer estadio de fútbol de Estados Unidos, Lamar Hunt estuvo siempre presente. -
Kansas City brought multiple departments together for a one-day event to help entrepreneurs get ready for the 2026 FIFA World Cup games next summer. The training could become an annual tradition as city officials strive to make it less complicated to own a business. -
The free bus service connecting the Overland Park Convention Center and Lenexa City Center to the airport will run from March to November next year. The aim is to connect World Cup travelers to local hotels and events, but the service is open to everyone. -
The Kansas City Council recently changed certain rules around short-term rentals to make it easier for residents to host World Cup visitors next summer. And dozens of people recently attended a "crash course" to learn how they can capitalize on all those visitors by offering their own rentals. -
Kansas City has been asking the state and federal government for financial help to pay for extra buses during the World Cup. The clock is ticking, but the transit agency hasn’t gotten a dime. -
Kansas City will test out a new expansion of the legal drink-serving window during the FIFA 2026 World Cup. The temporary rule aims to boost tourism and business, while regulators stress safety and prepare for an unprecedented surge in nightlife activity.
