How Kansas City’s World Cup 2026 bid began to take shape

Kansas City’s streetcars have been adorned in specific “Bring the World Cup to Kansas City” wrap.

Past August, ahead of a U.S. Women’s Countrywide Group activity in Kansas Metropolis, superstar Alex Morgan noticed a massive “We want the Environment Cup” banner hanging from a downtown setting up and shared the graphic on her social media accounts.

“If that does not say that this town is complete of soccer fans, I do not know what does,” Morgan explained.

Kansas City’s quest to participate in host to Globe Cup matches in 2026 started more than a ten years ago, when the a few North American international locations — the U.S., Canada and Mexico — announced their program to bid jointly for the 2026 Entire world Cup.

Kansas Metropolis, with a good track history of attracting countrywide athletics gatherings — the NFL Draft comes here next yr — needed in from the start. Conversations in between Sporting KC, the Chiefs and town officers commenced in 2015 as the U.S. started organizing its bid.

By 2017, a yr right before FIFA awarded the 2026 Earth Cup, 32 U.S. metropolitan areas had submitted bids to take portion as hosts. The list went as a result of a sequence of cuts and withdrawals Chicago pulled out citing economic fears, for instance, but Kansas Town ongoing to advance in the approach.

That came as no shock to Sporting Kansas Town star Graham Zusi.

“With Kansas Citians, their knowledge of the video game has developed so significantly, they certainly understand the impression the Environment Cup listed here would have,” he stated. “And Kansas City’s infrastructure as grown so considerably in recent yrs … throw in the Midwest hospitality and what this element of the nation is all about. I consider about the way Kansas Town (supports) soccer. Multiply that by 100 if you are internet hosting a Entire world Cup.”

When FIFA officers came to Kansas Town late final 12 months, they met with Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and Kansas Lt. Gov. David Toland, as effectively as mayors of cities from each states. With lodge rooms wanted not only through the Kansas City metro but also an prolonged radius close to KC — remember that idea of participating in games in Missouri (at Arrowhead) and coaching in Kansas (at the Compass Minerals heart in KCK)? — regional cooperation wasn’t just wanted, it was expected.

“It speaks to our market that we’re collaborative and utilized to performing jointly on these major proposals,” reported Katherine Fox, director of the KC2026 FIFA World Cup Bid team.

The fiscal rewards for hosting the occasion would be unlike any earnings Kansas Metropolis has realized for a sporting function. Significant-time video games, this kind of as these throughout the Earth Collection and NFL playoffs, never incorporate new, incremental paying out as substantially as they reallocate it — the range of guests for individuals activities isn’t all that significant.

The Environment Cup is in yet another league, figuratively talking, completely. Admirers get there from home nations near and far to quite possibly invest months in city.

Think about the Americans’ practical experience at the 2014 Environment Cup in Brazil, where by the U.S. workforce incorporated Zusi and Sporting KC teammate and Overland Park native Matt Besler.

The crew lodged and trained in Sao Paulo and played four games in 4 various metropolitan areas, “and each activity we played felt and sounded like a pro-U.S. group,” Zusi explained. Which is simply because Individuals ordered extra than 150,000 tickets for the game titles, a determine second only to the variety scooped up by host nation Brazil.

For the 2018 Globe Cup in Russia, 72,000 tickets have been sold to Brazilians, and much more than 60,000 each to supporters from Colombia and Mexico.

When Honduras competent for the 2010 Earth Cup in South Africa, then 23-12 months-outdated Roger Espinoza — now 35 and one more longtime Sporting Kansas Metropolis veteran — marveled at his nation’s travel contingent.

“We will have to of have experienced 15,000 fans there,” explained Espinoza, in his 13th period with Sporting KC. “Fans never know when they’ll see their crew once again on the World Cup phase. The followers who have cash will go. Some will go devoid of tickets. They just want to be there.

“You constantly want to do effectively due to the fact men and women will give their life’s savings to come observe us.”