Kansas City will be the smallest US metropolitan area to host matches at the 2026 World Cup, yet its selection as a host city came as no surprise to those familiar with its deep-rooted soccer culture. When FIFA announced the host cities on 16 June, Kathy Nelson, president of the Kansas City Sports Commission, had arranged a watch party in the Power & Light District, confident that the city’s bid would succeed despite its size. The crowd erupted when Kansas City was chosen, and Nelson admitted she shed a few tears. “Seven years of work went into 10 seconds of elation,” she said.
Ranked 31st among US metro areas, Kansas City beat out larger contenders such as Phoenix, Denver, Orlando, Cincinnati and Nashville. Jake Reid, president of Sporting Kansas City, described the achievement as a “David v Goliath feeling,” reflecting the city’s underdog spirit. While Kansas City has never hosted a Super Bowl, despite Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt coining the term, the city boasts a proud sporting heritage, including two World Series titles for the Royals and a recent Super Bowl win for the Chiefs.
Kansas City’s central location in the US Heartland was a key factor, with no other 2026 host city more than a four-hour flight away. But its soccer credentials also shone through. The city is home to Sporting Kansas City, an MLS club with an 18,000-seat stadium, and has a strong women’s soccer presence: the Current, an NWSL expansion team, will soon open the league’s first women’s-specific stadium, seating 11,500. The Heartland Soccer Association, with 30,000 players, is the largest youth soccer organisation in the US.
FIFA council member Victor Montagliani noted after a tour: “The beauty of football is that it’s not about your size, it’s about the size of your heart. Kansas City obviously has a stadium and is in a city that is crazy about the game.” Infrastructure improvements, including a new airport terminal and upgraded transport links, are underway to accommodate the influx of international visitors in 2026.
