KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County, including Independence. Share your story idea with Tod.
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Even on an NFL Sunday, the Kansas City Roos men's soccer team will play in front of a full house when it hosts Massachusetts at noon on Sunday as the program continues to capitalize on soccer's rising popularity — thanks in part to its recent success combined with FIFA World Cup 26.
For the players, growing crowds have added to the experience.
"We love having the people in the stands," said Roos graduate student defender Bryson Gosch, a native of Liberty. “We love having the extra eyes on us. It’s just extra motivation, and it's super fun.”
Roos soccer (10-2-2) has reached the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history. Head coach Ryan Pore's squad, which is ranked fifth in the United Soccer Coaches poll, ought to make it three straight appearances next month, but an even bigger goal is within reach.
"The next step now is hopefully to be a national seed and get a first-round bye," Pore said.
The Roos, who have seen attendance climb 95% for home games since the start of the 2024 season, sense something special building.
"We are close to reaching what we want to reach, and I think we can even get better," Roos senior midfielder Miguel Fernandez, a native of Vigo, Spain, said.
The timing is perfect after the unprecedented exposure the World Cup generated for soccer in the U.S. and Kansas City, which hosted six games last summer.
"Even my friends that aren't super interested in soccer, the World Cup got them interested, and now they still watch our games,” Gosch said. “Before the World Cup, I don't think they ever watched a soccer game.”
Pore said the tournament has transformed the program's visibility.
"The World Cup has been a huge, huge thing for us,” he said. “It's been a huge recruitment tool for us. It's been a huge energy inside the community.”
Fernandez has appreciated the newfound support.
"I think we've seen this reflected on the season,” Fernandez said. “People are more into soccer, and you can see it in the attendance in the games.”
UMKC has invested in facilities, including a new videoboard, which enhances the game day atmosphere at Durwood Stadium. The average attendance has climbed from 332 fans in 2024 to 576 on average this season.
"Every action you do, every goal, you have the fans there, you hear them — it's more motivating, as I said, and also more fun," Fernandez said.
Pore wants to keep that momentum building.
"We do want to get more eyeballs on this team,” he said. “I think the guys deserve it. It's high-level soccer, and I think more and more people that come out here are realizing how special this is out here.”
The last chance — at least in the regular season — to catch the Roos at home arrives Sunday at Durwood Stadium.
Kansas City, which sits atop the Summit League standings, hosts a Minutemen team (5-6-3, 1-1-1 Summit) that currently sits in third and closes the regular season Oct. 31 at Nebraska-Omaha (9-4-0, 2-0-1 Summit).
If the Roos win the league title, they will host the Summit League Championship Tournament next month. The winner earns an automatic NCAA tourney berth.
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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