KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas, including Olathe and Lenexa. Share your story idea with Olivia.
—
Two special charter flights from Aerolineas Argentinas are bringing hundreds of fans to Kansas City ahead of the Argentina National Team's first FIFA World Cup match against Algeria on June 16.
The first charter flight landed Sunday, and it was clear who was on board — many fans wore jerseys or carried Argentina flags.
Agustin Derossi, an Argentinian fan on the first flight, described the atmosphere on board.
"A little bit crazy. Everyone was screaming, Cheering for Argentina, and they threw a huge flag around the plane. It was fantastic," Derossi said.
A second nonstop flight from Buenos Aires is bringing hundreds more fans to the metro Monday.
Some supporters say they plan to follow Argentina across the country, hoping to see the team advance through the tournament. For others, it is their first-ever World Cup experience — and possibly their last chance to see Lionel Messi in the tournament.
Rodrigo Nacif, an Argentinian journalist, has been lucky enough to watch his team in World Cups in Russia, Qatar, and now Kansas City. He shared his plans and expectations for these games.
"I’m Kansas City for three days, go to Dallas," Nacif said. “It's very difficult waiting for the win.”
Nacif said the focus right now is on Tuesday's opener in Kansas City against Algeria. Both Argentina and Algeria are base camping in the Kansas City area.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
—
