KANSAS CITY, Mo — Kansas City will host its final World Cup match Saturday, but the energy surrounding the tournament is far from fading.
Over the past several weeks, streets across downtown Kansas City have transformed into gathering spaces for thousands of fans from around the world, bringing waves of music, celebration and passion to the heart of the city.
From Southwest Boulevard overflowing with Argentine supporters to the Plaza embracing the sounds and flavors of Colombia, visitors say Kansas City has left a lasting impression.
“The only thing that unites us is soccer,” said Diana Guerrero, who traveled from Bogotá, Colombia. “Soccer is meant to be celebrated, come together and unite as brothers.”
Fans packed restaurants, bars and watch parties throughout the metro, turning familiar Kansas City landmarks into scenes resembling a worldwide fiesta.
“It was a great place to come,” said Ricky Johnson, who traveled to Kansas City from the East Coast. “Argentine fans always travel well, so it was exciting to come. You can feel the excitement.”
Others said Kansas City’s welcoming atmosphere stood out just as much as the matches themselves.
“The buildings, the zone, it’s spectacular. I love Kansas City — the little that I’ve seen in two days, I love it,” said Leonardo Quiñones, who traveled from Colombia.
The tournament has also highlighted how much soccer has grown in Kansas City over the past few decades.
Sporting Kansas City legend and former head coach Peter Vermes said this moment feels significantly different from when the United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994.
“There’s no way that Kansas City would have supported the World Cup in ‘94 in the way it does now,” the longtime soccer executive said. “The growth of soccer probably in the last 25 years in Kansas City has been fantastic. It’s even hard to put into words.”
The former Sporting KC manager said the city’s soccer culture was built through years of grassroots development, youth participation and the growth of professional soccer in Kansas City.
He recalled to KSHB41's Daniela Leon recently seeing two young boys recreating a goal they watched during a 2026 World Cup match, a moment he said reflected how deeply the sport has grown in American culture.
“I’ve seen kids all the time playing the game at the grassroots level, going to professional games and trying to emulate the players they see on weekends,” the MLS veteran said.
Once the final whistle blows Saturday, the former MLS head coach believes the tournament could continue helping the league attract more international talent in the years ahead.
“You’re going to see an influx of players from this World Cup that are going to come over the next year and a half into this league,” Vermes said.
“I think the tournament has shown that the United States has the ability to put on an event like no other,” he added. “No other country can replicate what we’re doing with this World Cup, from the infrastructure, to where teams train, to the stadiums and cities hosting these matches. Nobody can replicate it.”
For many across Kansas City, the tournament’s departure may mark the end of this chapter, but not the end of the city’s growing soccer story.
“You can hear it from the fans,” the former U.S. Men’s National Team player said. “They all tell you what a great country, what a great environment. The people are so nice. It’s a pleasure to be here. I think we’ll see this tournament here again soon.”
Our full interview with Peter Vermes can be found here.
