KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers Kansas City, Missouri. Share your story idea with Alyssa.
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Kansas City’s first World Cup 2026 match isn’t until next Tuesday, but travelers were already arriving Friday at Kansas City International Airport.
Airport officials say they are expecting to set records for the number of travelers coming through KMCI over the next several weeks.
Soccer fans from around the world have already started passing through — repping Algeria, England, and Italy, just to name a few.
Before KSHB 41 Kansas City Reporter Alyssa Jackson attended the Kansas City Power and Light District's USA vs. Paraguay watch party, she met several fans landing in Kansas City after a long travel day.
It took more than 15 hours for Valentin Ariza to arrive in KCMO from Buenos Aeries, Argentina.
He plans to watch a match in Kansas City before going to Miami as a FIFA volunteer.
"I can't believe it — I'm right there and think it's impossible," he said. "I’m really a big fan of Futbol from when I was a child."
Simon Ellis traveled from Colorado. He tells me he's cheering on England.
"I actually attended a game in California the first time it was here in '94," Ellis said. "For me growing up in Britain, futbol is an important part of the culture and of life...to have the World Cup here and see what we can do and watch incredible teams from around the world is bloody amazing."
Ellis is among the soccer fans who plan to leave the airport and join the FIFA Fan Fest on Friday.
Some Kansas Citians plan to see a match in-person over the next several weeks.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — don't know if it will ever come back to the USA in my lifetime," Kansas City resident Dillon Dibernardo said. "Very excited to be a part of it, excited to watch it...excited to live in it."
The Kansas City International Airport expects a record 1.2 million travelers in June and July.
It expects travel to peak right before matches begin next week.
Jackson Overstreet, public information officer for the Kansas City Aviation Department, said they have been preparing by training customer service agents to offer translation services.
There will be live translators at the airport from June 13 to June 27.
"We know that we're gonna be all these fans first and last impression of the city and first and last impression of the World Cup here," Overstreet said.
Some fans are looking out for their favorite players and others are taking in the experience of Kansas City joining the world stage.
"There's a great culture of sports appreciation in KC already and this just continues to add to it and it’s gonna be seen around the world," Ellis said.
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