IN THE NEWS

The party vibes were high Sunday afternoon as Johnson County kicked off the year-long run-up to the 2026 World Cup. More than 3,850 people came out on a humid 92-degree day to chant at a pep rally featuring former U.S. Men’s National Team veteran and Overland Park...

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — With less than a year until Kansas City hosts the 2026 World Cup, KC2026 hosted the Kansas City Kickoff Event on Sunday. The event was free for attendees and included live music, food, local vendors, activities, and Sporting Kansas City and...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Wednesday, June 11, marks one year from the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. The first matches will be played in Guadalajara and Mexico City on June 11, 2026. Kansas City is one of 16 host cities in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The...

KC2026 is assembling tools and resources to help businesses maximize gains from the estimated $650 million economic benefit World Cup matches will bring.

FIFA World Cup 26 kicks off a little more than a year from now and KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer, who is spearheading the Kansas City region’s preparations, has big ambitions for the event’s smallest host city. “I hope, at the end of this, the headline is ‘how did the world's...

Kansas City’s soccer community revels in touting itself as the Soccer Capital of America. With GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium set to host six games next summer during FIFA World Cup 26, there’s ample evidence to back the claim — an MLS original club with an...

RIVERSIDE, Mo. — The Kansas City area is getting ready to experience the World Cup next year. But some residents are already familiar with the emotions of being on the center stage of international sporting events. Debinha and Lorena from Brazil, along with Rocky...

A behind-the-scenes look at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kansas, previews the amenities it would offer to a 2026 World Cup team if it's chosen by a country as a training site. Rock Chalk Park is home to the University of Kansas women's soccer and softball teams, but...

Kansas City is guaranteed to host six games in FIFA World Cup 26, including a quarterfinal, but the region may also serve as a base camp for as many as three teams. Compass Minerals National Performance Center is among the crown jewels of soccer facilities in the...

Soccer may not be one of the first things most folks associate with Kansas City — but it should be. This Midwestern metropolis has quietly but quickly become the beating heart of American soccer over the past 25 years, turning into a city that doesn’t just watch the...