100% Oranje | Dutch Oranje Bus arrives in Kansas City

KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig normally covers Johnson County. She's also part of the KSHB 41 team covering the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Share your story idea with Elyse.

—

The Dutch Oranje Bus arrived in the Kansas City area Tuesday morning, ready to lead Netherlands fans to victory in Thursday’s FIFA World Cup 26 match against Tunisia at Kansas City Stadium.

The bus has been on quite a journey in the last several weeks.

In mid-May, the famous orange double-decker "landed" in Galveston, Texas, after a three-week boat ride across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe.

After a couple of weeks of making sure everything was good to go, the bus traveled north to Dallas ahead of the team's first group stage match against Japan.

After the game, the bus turned back south on Interstate 45 bound for Houston, where the Netherlands played Sweden on Saturday.

Late Monday, the bus found Interstate 35 and turned north, with a destination of Kansas City.

I caught up with the bus (and the group!) Tuesday morning as they were taking a break from the road at a hotel in Gardner, Kansas.

Henk van Beek and his friends had no idea they started a worldwide tradition in 2004.

"Just drive into a city, put on some music and see what happens. That was basically the idea," he told me. "Well, the rest is history."

Dutch reporter Sander Paulus, with RTL News Netherlands, told me he was fascinated by our fascination.

Courtesy Oranjefans

"In America it doubles because you are so enthusiastic about it that it's unbelievable," he said.

He shared some intel with me for Americans walking in Thursday's parade in downtown Kansas City.

"A little tip, maybe, is you have to learn the music, because it helps with dancing, with singing," he said. "Left and right is 'links en rechts.'"

The tradition has grown in just over two decades since it started — but so has its meaning.

"We always say everybody is welcome, all the fans around the world, all are welcome, because that's what we do," van Beek said.

Take a tour of the bus with me:

Courtesy Oranjefans

Courtesy Oranjefans

Courtesy Oranjefans

On Thursday, the bus will take the lead role in the march down Grand Boulevard in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

Video of the walks in Dallas and Houston went viral.

—