Kansas City Current hopes World Cup lessons pay off in 5 years with Women’s World Cup

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Kansas City soccer fans are already looking ahead to 2031, saying they hope the city gets to host games in the Women's World Cup after a successful run as a host city for FIFA World Cup 26.

Connor Buckley, a soccer fan at the KC Current store, said the World Cup showed what Kansas City is made of.

"All the cultures from all over the world have come to Kansas City and kind of been accepted with how much everyone's welcomed them, and how much they felt welcomed,” he said. “I think that's been really cool to see.”

Shelby Robertson and her husband made the trip from Oklahoma City to The Current Shop on the Country Club Plaza to gear up for Friday's game at CPKC Stadium, but the World Cup was still on their minds.

"Even now, even a week later, it's really nice to drive around and see all of the flags and all the support still up here," Robertson said.

Robertson, who said she’s a bigger women’s soccer fan than men’s soccer fan, said she would make the trip back if Kansas City hosts in 2031.

"We'd absolutely be up here if that was the case," Robertson said.

Augie Schmitt also came to Kansas City from Geneseo, Illinois, with his family for Friday's Current game. He mostly watched the World Cup through social media.

"Definitely a lot of FOMO (fear of missing out), but it's so cool just being able to, even through the phone, being able to experience it,” he said. “It's just such a cool moment as a world.”

Schmitt said he would be all in for the 2031 Women's World Cup after seeing the scenes from this year’s World Cup.

"Absolutely, super inspired,” he said. “If it's just like the men's World Cup — and I also just love women's sports, too — I just I'd love to be a part of it and go to a game.”

The Current hosted the Netherlands at their training facility during the World Cup. Missy Jenkins, senior vice president of commercial for the Current, said it was a lot of work — but worth it.

The club came away with several lessons learned or reinforced.

“Yeah, I think we learned a few things,” Jenkins said. “One: That we have awesome facilities. Obviously, we had really huge compliments about the quality of our pitch, the quality of our facilities, and I think it just was a continued reminder that what we're doing in building matters.

Additionally, “I think number two: That Kansas City shows up. It loves its sports teams. It loves to support all sports of all countries. I think we've seen that through the support of all those who based out of Kansas City, but even beyond with all the matches we hosted.

Finally, “The third thing is that people love soccer, and we're really hoping to capitalize on all the excitement and energy that came out of the last six weeks to continue to grow fandom for the Kansas City Current, for soccer, for Kansas City.”

The 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups should be awarded in November 2026 at the next FIFA Congress. A joint bid from the U.S., Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica is the only bid for the 2031 event and Kansas City intends to put in a bid.

The Current are expanding seating capacity at CPKC Stadium ahead of the tourney, while Sporting Park and GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium also will be included in Kansas City’s bid as options to host games.

But the bid process will be more competitive with St. Louis, Nashville, Charlotte and possibly Chicago among the cities that didn’t host World Cup games this summer among the cities who may vie to host women’s games.

"It's clear that Kansas City can handle it,” Jenkin said. “It's clear that our community loves soccer, just not from being able to host it, but from watching it on television. Obviously, all of these countries found Kansas City to be home and felt so welcomed, so I think all of those things are a testament to what we could do if the World Cup was to be here in 2031.”

Jenkins said the city would be ready to welcome the world again.

"If Kansas City hosts the World Cup in 2031, we will welcome everyone with open arms, and I think that it would be a great testament to how we showed up this time around, and just continue the excitement of soccer as we see the women hopefully come to Kansas City in 2031," Jenkins said.

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