KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers Johnson County. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of health care, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.
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The countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2026 is on, and Johnson County is preparing. Overland Park leaders met to discuss what they are doing, including what the event means for the area's transportation.
To meet the demand, Johnson County World Cup buses will take visitors right from the airport to the Lenexa City Center and the Overland Park Convention Center. In addition, KC2026 buses will take visitors from two spots in Overland Park to matches and FanFest.
Johnson County Board Chairman Mike Kelly previously told KSHB 41 the World Cup is an opportunity for the county to step up its transportation as a whole.
"It’s always nice to have a deadline, to have a rationale to invest in airport routes, or enhanced circulator routes, and so we wanted to meet the moment," Kelly said.
Amy Scrivner is an Overland Park council member who also works for BikeWalkKC.
"Folks coming in are coming from countries where they are going to be very accustomed to walking, biking, and taking transit," Scrivner said at Monday night's meeting.
Scrivner believes that to meet the moment fully, the plan should not stop with the World Cup. She says the event should prove that a more connected transit system is not just a one-time thing, but a necessity for safer transportation across the metro.
"My hope is that this will be a huge learning lesson for our region where we will make some more strategic, improved investments in transportation," Scrivner said at Monday night's meeting.
Scrivner also shared this statement with KSHB 41:
"The 2026 World Cup is a generational opportunity for us and we are excited to showcase what our region has to offer.
But, we have to be honest about our infrastructure. Like many American cities, the Kansas City region has historically prioritized car-centric design over robust public transit, walking, and biking networks. My hope is that the temporary networks we build for 2026 will spark a public demand for permanent solutions that lawmakers cannot ignore.
The World Cup will pack up and leave, but the people who live and work here will remain. I want the conversations generated in 2026 to translate into real political will and investment in safe streets, walkable neighborhoods, and reliable regional transit.
If we successfully prove that high-quality transit works in our region during the busiest month in our history, we remove the excuse that "transit just doesn't work here." The World Cup is our catalyst to finally build the connected region we all deserve."
Claudia Luna West was born and raised in Argentina and now owns Buenos Aires Restaurant in Shawnee. For her, soccer is nostalgic, and so is getting to the games.
"In Argentina, a good thing that happens, in Europe and other countries, is that you can take a bus and go everywhere you want," West said. "To have a system of transportation where you can move from A to B without driving is very important."
West knows the best memories start with how you got there.
"I am happy that Kansas has decided to have that for the World Cup. Hopefully, we will keep it afterward," West said.
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.
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