KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. She also focuses on issues regarding scams. Share your story idea with Megan.
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Residents near "Kansas City Stadium" will need a free temporary parking permit to get in and out of their neighborhood during the FIFA World Cup 2026, which runs from June 11 to July 13.
The permit requirement applies to residents living between Blue Ridge Cutoff and Ditzler Avenue and East 43rd Street and East 44th Street. The city says the permits will limit traffic and ensure homeowners can park in their driveways during the tournament.
Residents can apply online or in person at the Destiny Life Center, located at 4207 Blue Ridge Cutoff, during the following times:
- Wednesday, May 27: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Tuesday, June 2: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
To get a permit, residents will need their vehicle's make, model, and color, along with an ID or document proving residency, such as a driver's license, recent utility bill, lease, or bank statement.
Elsa Cuellar, who lives nearby, said she supports the permit process.
"I think for safety issues, I believe it's okay because it's going to be chaotic with everyone," Cuellar said.
Cuellar said the area is already a busy one.
"6 o'clock in the morning, boom, clockwork," Cuellar said.
She added that any inconvenience is worth it for the moment.
"It could be an inconvenience, but it's what, two weeks, and we will make world history. I believe we are worth it," Cuellar said.
Neighbor Tim Rasmussen said he plans to get his permit and is not worried about the disruption.
"Well, I guess it's going to be a good idea," Rasmussen said. "We can work around it, it's no big deal. It's free, so get it, and hopefully we won't have a big hassle getting in and out of the neighborhood. So we can get in and out safely," Rasmussen said.
Not everyone near the stadium is focused on the inconvenience. Some residents are looking to profit from the influx of visitors.
Dianne Ahzar said she has already booked 66 parking reservations through an app.
"If you were going to inconvenience us with the traffic, we might as well get paid for it, and so the benefits of having the Prkd App is you get paid for it," Ahzar said.
However, Ahzar said she is concerned the new permit process could interfere with those plans.
"I got 66 reservations, you mean to tell me you know what's on my phone is not going to happen because of a permit," Ahzar said.
"It's kind of cutting us on the extra revenue we're getting ready to make," Ahzar said.
KSHB asked World Cup KC officials what the new permit process means for residents who have already booked parking through apps but have not heard back.
Beyond the permit area, Kansas City residents and visitors should expect widespread road closures and traffic impacts throughout the tournament.
The FIFA Fan Festival will be for 18 days and will be held at the National WWI Museum and Memorial. It can hold up to 25,000 people.
Several roads around Fan Fest are closed, including Kessler Road, Memorial Drive, and East 27th Street at Main Street to Warwick Trafficway.
On match days, additional roads are partially closed around the Fan Festival and Arrowhead Stadium.
The transportation hub for ConnectKC26 tournament bus service is located at East 27th Street and Main Street, two blocks from the FIFA Fan Festival. It will move visitors and locals around the region for all 33 days of the tournament.
The Kansas City area is also hosting four team base camps, which will bring additional fans to the region throughout the tournament. Residents are encouraged to map out routes early and avoid driving during match times.
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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