KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Fernanda has developed many sources in immigrant communities around the metro area. She found they also share a love for their home country and, like her, stay in touch with family there. Fernanda also is a huge soccer fan, attending many KC Current matches. Share your story idea with Fernanda.
The Argentinian community in Kansas City is buzzing with excitement after learning their national team could play in Kansas City during the FIFA World Cup 2026.
At Los Hornos, a local Argentinian restaurant decorated with pictures of Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, the owner, Isolina De La Vega, hopes everyone back in Argentina will have their eyes on Kansas City.
Her business shares the flavors of Argentina with the city every day, and now she's dreaming of hosting people from Argentina for the world's biggest soccer tournament.
Their team is among those that might play in KC during the World Cup.
On Friday, FIFA held its Final Draw event. Kansas City will host four group-stage matches on June 16, 20, 25, and 27.
- Tuesday, June 16 — two of the following Group J countries: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, and Jordan.
- Saturday, June 20 — two of the following Group E countries: Germany, Ecuador, Côte d'Ivoire, and Curaçao.
- Thursday, June 25 — two of the following Group F countries: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, and the winner of a European playoff between Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, and Albania.
- Saturday, June 27 — two of the following Group J countries: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, and Jordan.
De La Vega was at Power & Light for the draw.
“I called my father and said, ‘You see that?’ ‘Yes, but is it true?’ ‘Yeah, it’s true. Oh my God!’” she said.
Her parents and brothers were already planning to come to Kansas City for the competition. But as soon as they learned Argentina could play here on June 16, they rearranged everything.
“I said, ‘You need to change your flight if you want to be here."'
They also want to be here for Lionel Messi.
De La Vega was among the 15,000 people who went to Children’s Mercy Park in February to watch the soccer star in one of the coldest soccer games in history.
Her friend, Jorge Mazzeo, has been waiting for this moment for a long time.
“Well, when the 2022 World Cup ended, we were already thinking the next one could be here. In fact, I told them — they said I was crazy,” he said in an interview conducted in Spanish. “Here we are — excited and waiting.”
Fifteen miles from Los Hornos, Matthias Seyfrid, a German chef at an Austrian restaurant, is sharing the excitement with his team.
“The excitement in the kitchen is very big,” said Seyfrid, the chef at Grunauer. “I made the mistake of telling them that if Germany plays in Kansas City, I’m going to buy them all German jerseys.”
The feeling goes beyond the kitchen at Grunauer, as Austria qualified for the first time in 28 years.
General Manager Nicholas Grünauer says he’s expecting to have family visiting.
“They’ve already reached out and said, ‘All right, if Austria goes, we’re coming.’”
—
KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.
