Kansas City will say hello to the world this summer (Image: Getty)
England may have chosen the smallest host city as their base for World Cup 2026. But they are set to be thoroughly impressed by the size of Kansas City’s spirit.
The Three Lions have made the trip across the Atlantic in pursuit of glory and for the majority of their time on American soil, they will be stationed across the Kansas and Missouri border. This is despite not having a single group stage fixture in the Midwest. Reigning world champions Argentina, footballing royalty the Netherlands and African hopefuls Algeria are also setting up camp there and having visited this remarkable city, I can only marvel at its extraordinary ambition.
Kansas City appeared to know a British visitor was on the way upon my arrival, greeting me with spitting rain. Yet any dampened spirits were swiftly lifted by the vibrantly decorated airport terminal. World Cup 2026 was impossible to miss. There was no escaping the fact that some of the finest footballers on the planet would soon be descending on the city.
Just three years ago, Kansas City International Airport was torn down and entirely rebuilt with the tournament firmly in mind. Approximately $1.5billion was invested in the project and it now runs as slickly as a Kansas City jazz ensemble. Seeing off competition from the likes of Denver, Orlando and Washington D.C. to secure host city status was no mean achievement. Yet the moment you land, it becomes abundantly clear how this remarkable victory was secured.
“We’re used to being underestimated,” revealed Pam Kramer, CEO of KC2026. “People don’t know us as much as they know other places. But we knew we could create an experience here, a welcoming experience, a place where the teams felt like we could contribute to their effort. We knew that we had the best facilities. We knew that our location was really favourable.
“They could fly to any city. Those three things together, I think we always knew that. So we’re used to people saying, ‘How did you do that?’ But I think we were intentional about the effort. Maybe we just wanted it more. The opportunity might be bigger for us because we’re the smallest. The way that we welcome people, our hospitality, our way of life is different.
The airport is well decorated (Image: Mirror)
“We’re not trying to be anybody except Kansas City and I think we’ve got a tremendous surprise-and-delight factor that people may not know about us. Then, they get here and they are really blown away by not only hospitality, but the quality of our restaurants and our museums, our art museums, our culture, the sports culture is so deeply embedded here.”
Kansas City is undeniably distinctive in its sporting culture. The Kansas City Chiefs are without question the jewel in the area’s crown, yet MLS side Sporting KC and NWSL outfit KC Current rank amongst the most well-supported football clubs in the entire country.
Indeed, this city holds the distinction of being the only one in the US to boast a dedicated stadium for both its top-flight women’s and men’s sides. Locals repeatedly told me they proudly consider themselves residents of the Soccer Capital of America.
Kansas City Stadium will welcome some of the World Cup’s biggest names, with Lionel Messi the undisputed headline act. In a resounding vote of confidence in the city’s capacity to embrace football, a 25,000-capacity FIFA Fan Festival will also be available to supporters.
Kramer has high hopes (Image: Mirror)
This fan zone is free to enter on general admission tickets and will remain open throughout 18 days of the tournament. Musical acts will take to its stage, scores of local food vendors will display their culinary talents and the city’s upgraded transport connections will tie everything together.
For the tournament, the free-to-use KC Streetcar, which functions much like a tram, has been extended and operates seamlessly. The city has also worked tirelessly to secure a dedicated fleet of motorcoaches. Concerns were raised ahead of this World Cup, with Kansas City Stadium situated 10 miles outside the city centre and on-site parking slashed from 20,000 to 3,000 spaces.
These coaches, however, will shuttle passengers between the airport, the city centre and the stadium. Having taken a look inside, they are cool, spotless and will undoubtedly go a long way towards easing any anxieties surrounding transport disruption.
Beyond the practicalities, Kansas City is simply a destination that will flourish once the world descends. The locals are friendly, the barbecue is as mouth-watering as one would anticipate and the atmosphere feels genuinely as though they’re invested, where bigger metropolises might not be.
The Fan Festival was impressive even before it was built (Image: Mirror)
Matt Besler, who featured in nearly 350 matches for Sporting KC and represented the US Men’s National Team, said: “I can’t wait. Kansas City deserves this opportunity. We’re ready. Kansas City is a very underrated city. Not many people know a lot about Kansas City. But everyone who comes and visits, they’re surprised and they end up falling in love with it.
“From a soccer perspective, I also think we’re one of the best cities to host in our country. We just have a lot of pride and we’re proud of who we are and we’re very welcoming.
“I would agree that we’ve always had to punch above our weight. But I think that’s what makes us special. We’re comfortable in that role and have a lot of experience doing it.
“You know, we’re smaller than some of the bigger cities and we’re the smallest host city. But I think we can use that to our advantage, because we’re able to feel like we’re all in it together, instead of being segmented throughout the city. We unite, and we really come together. We work together.”
Besler is an MLS icon (Image: Mirror)
Words can ring hollow when assessing how genuinely an American city embraces football, or as they so painfully insist on calling it, soccer. Yet their enthusiasm was on full display during a watch party for Arsenal‘s Champions League final against PSG.
Approximately 400 Kansas City Gooners descended upon a sports bar at 10am to witness their side push the defending champions to the very limit.
Their devotion was far removed from the ‘go team’ superficiality one might stereotypically anticipate from America. There was passionate cursing and the odd tear was shed.
Kansas City Gooners do not lack passion (Image: Mirror)
“I think we celebrate sports the same way that the English do, right?” added CEO Kramer, who also encouraged English supporters considering a stopover in Kansas City to do so. “We understand the passion and we love to celebrate together. So we can’t wait to celebrate tradition. Following the team.”
From the airport to the city centre, through the vibrant Power and Light District and the leafy suburb of Prairie Village, where England will be based, I never once felt like an outsider in Kansas City. The area offers considerably more than a Wizard of Oz cliché.
This Midwestern sprawl made me feel genuinely at home in every sense and I have no doubt Thomas Tuchel’s squad will feel the same. Everyone admires an underdog, but Kansas City’s bark as a host city is just as big as its bite.
For details on KC2026, Kansas City’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ Host City plans, and resources to plan your trip this summer, visit KC2026.com.