Post-World Cup bounce: Sporting Kansas City look to capitalize on momentum with new signings

KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County, including Independence. Share your story idea with Tod.

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Remnants of FIFA World Cup 26 are still visible at Sporting Kansas City's training facility as the club now turns its attention to translating the global spotlight into on-field success.

On the one hand, fan interest in soccer locally has never been higher following the World Cup.

"Oh, yeah. I know friends that I've never noticed be into soccer have started to join it and learn more about it,” Sporting KC fan John Deveney said Tuesday during a World Cup semifinal watch party at CPKC Stadium. “People that you wouldn't expect [are] becoming interested in the sport.”

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Unfortunately, Sporting KC is in the midst of the worst three-year stretch in club history. The club missed the playoffs the last two seasons for the first time since 2009-10 and currently sits last in the MLS Western Conference standings.

Deveney acknowledged the team's recent struggles but pointed to encouraging signs.

"Yeah, it sucks; there's no getting around that,” he said. “But recently they've been making some really good signings.”

First-year General Manager and President of Soccer Operations David Lee is among those pushing for a turnaround this season.

"100%, yeah. There's 20 games left,” said Lee, who joined Sporting KC from New York City FC last fall. “We're not even 50% of the way through the season.”

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Lee acknowledged the team has ground to make up but remains optimistic.

"We would like to be further ahead than where we are now, but there's an awful long way to go," he said.

The remake, which Lee hopes will spark a playoff push, started with three new defensive signings already in the summer transfer window, which opened earlier in the week.

Sporting KC added two centerbacks, Or Blorian from the Israeli Premier League and Moises Mosquera from FC Juarez in Mexico’s Liga MX, along with left back Emir Karić from Austrian powerhouse Sturm Graz to shore up a backline that has leaked 36 goals in 14 games.

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Lee said the club is not done in the transfer market.

"Our focus is mostly on the attacking side of the pitch now, particularly with the three discretionary slots that we have available to utilize," Lee said.

That reportedly includes interest in former Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, a possibility that drew an enthusiastic response from fans.

"Man, I would be incredibly happy if he came to Kansas City,” Deveney said. “He is one of me and my pops' favorite players, and so it would just be great to see him, and that would definitely help the team.”

Fellow fan Nick Hoffine said the World Cup changed how the rest of the world views Kansas City's soccer culture.

"I think it's been seen overseas how much we actually care about soccer here in the U.S.,” he said.

Hoffine, who grew up playing in Sporting KC’s youth soccer ranks, hopes Kansas City’s reputation as the “Soccer Capital of America” translates into more interest from top players, whether that’s Salah or another difference-making standout.

“I think there's going to be more players that are going to be thinking about how this is going to be the right fit for me," he said.

Lee said it’s not just the wider world that got an education via the World Cup into how deep passion in Kansas City’s soccer culture runs.

"I perhaps had underestimated or not quite understood the level of interest in soccer in Kansas City," Lee said. “When you see the TV ratings — not just for the U.S. games, but the U.S. games and in general — with how Kansas City has consistently either the No. 1 or No. 2 top-rated market for games in the World Cup, it shows what an amazing place that we are and that we live in and what an obligation we have as the team in Kansas City to be able to reflect the amazing audiences that we have.”

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After sharing a training facility for the last month with reigning World Cup champions Argentina, who will play for another title Sunday against Spain in New Jersey, even the team feels the energy around soccer in Kansas City.

“I think it also will give us extra push to continue in the last 20 games to be able to perform at the highest level,” said SKC forward Dejan Joveljić, who has 24 goals in 46 games across the last two seasons since his arrival.

Deveney would love to see it.

“That’s my hope for everybody: to support your local team,” he said. "Supporting the European clubs is cool, but I think supporting the team that’s in your city is a big thing, and I certainly will do my best to help that out.”

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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