The report says Kansas City has tried to sell three things to decision-makers: facilities, geography and hospitality. The clearest symbol of that push is the rebuilt international airport, a project reportedly completed with 2026 in mind and backed by an investment of $1.5 billion.
That kind of upgrade fits the wider strategy:
For a World Cup city, first impressions matter. Kansas City seems to know it.
The bigger challenge is identity. Kansas City Chiefs territory is famous across American sport, but football has carved out real space there too. Sporting KC and KC Current have helped give the city a modern soccer footprint, and the report says locals proudly talk about it as America’s “soccer capital”.
That claim is bold, but the foundations are not hard to see. A city with dedicated top-flight homes for both its men’s and women’s teams is selling something authentic, not borrowed.
There are practical issues. The stadium sits around 10 miles from downtown, and parking is said to have dropped from 20,000 spaces to 3,000. Yet the planned response - buses, an expanded KC Streetcar, and a fan festival for 25,000 people over 18 days - points to a city preparing for pressure, not fearing it.
“Todos que vêm aqui se surpreendem e acabam se apaixonando,” Matt Besler said. If that optimism holds, the next story to watch is whether 2026 leaves Kansas City as a temporary World Cup base - or a lasting football destination.