KSHB 41 anchor/reporter Daniela Leon covers transportation-related issues in Kansas City. Share your story idea with Daniela.
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Over the past three years, KC2026, the nonprofit organization overseeing World Cup strategy in Kansas City, has been working closely with local, regional and national organizations and agencies to develop a transportation plan for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Back in March, a mobility concept for the World Cup was submitted to FIFA. The plan outlined strategies for transporting World Cup fans from various points across the metro, like the airport or downtown Kansas City, and mobility plans to and from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Lindsey Douglas, Chief Operating Officer for KC2026, said the mobility concept will continue to be refined with another submission expected to take place in October.
"We had a really great feedback session with FIFA," Douglas said. "They wanted a little bit more detail and a few more maps included in that plan, but really, it's just a working document for us to share with them (FIFA) our current thinking and make sure we stay on track as we continue to add details."
Earlier this year, KC2026 signed a lease for 200 buses to be used during the World Cup. Douglas explained the buses will be integrated into the KC2026 transportation network, designed to address the needs of the tournament by transporting fans to games at Arrowhead, transportation to park-and-ride services and accommodating other regional requirements.
"About six of the 200 buses are identified for airport service, so if we think about the KC2026 fleet, we're using those buses to move people in and around for World Cup activations," Douglas said.
At this moment, the locations of park-and-rides haven't been disclosed. KC2026 has said in previous interviews that locations will be scattered across both Kansas and Missouri. As to what the cost will be for fans, Douglas said her team put out a survey in May to gather input and determine ticketing options.
"We were really trying to gather information on how people would utilize public transportation," Douglas said. "Then, that'll really help inform whether a transportation pass or some sort of ticket would be utilized during the tournament."
The KC2026 bus system is expected to complement existing bus routes on both sides of the state line. According to estimates by KC2026, Kansas City can potentially expect around 650,000 visitors during the tournament, which is expected to generate an estimated $653 million in economic impact.
With its direct route to the National World War I Museum and Memorial, where the FIFA Fan Fest will be held, the Kansas City Streetcar plans on extending its services, fleet and staff to meet World Cup demands.
"We're working on a service plan right now to boost service over the course of the Fan Fest, as well as to coordinate with connections from other modes of transit, from around the region and shuttle services," said Tom Gerend, executive director of the Kansas City Streetcar Authority.
Existing bus systems across Kansas City are also gearing up for an influx of riders while juggling to keep current connections running smoothly.
Chuck Ferguson, chief operations officer for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, said there are expected and unexpected challenges with the uncertainty surrounding which teams will play in Kansas City or choose the city for base camp.
"We all know that one of the primary things about the World Cup is all the people that will come to your region, either to watch a match, to visit and be a part of the excitement, or because a team has a base camp," Ferguson said. "There's going to be a multitude of visitors from who knows where. We don't know yet what teams will be based here."
On top of getting people who routinely use the system to where they need to go, KCATA is actively looking at ways to manage peak times during the tournament. One idea would be to increase the frequency of KCATA's east-west routes that connect with the streetcar near Fan Fest.
"We're all planning for a surge in service, a major and significant expansion of services during the World Cup. We're really hoping there's a legacy beyond," Ferguson said.
However, according to KCATA, the expansion of services, which will require additional drivers and putting retired KCATA buses back in service, is at a standstill due to a lack of operational funds needed from the federal government.
"While we've put a lot of great planning into this, we don't yet have funding for everything, so we are currently waiting on that," Ferguson said. "When a big event like this comes in, we don't have a pot of money just sitting around waiting to be spent. As public transit providers, we are going to seek an increase in funding to operate those services."
KCATA and other transit organizations have met with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., over the past several months to obtain needed funding. In response, lawmakers across the political spectrum have been actively proposing solutions.
Recently, Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran reintroduced the Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act. In late May, Missouri Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver II, along with Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids, requested $400 million in funding for transit needs to the House Appropriations Committee. But so far, no funding has been secured.
Citing time constraints, especially with the World Cup less than a year out from its first match in Mexico City, Ferguson said funding would ideally need to be secured by the end of the year, at the latest.
"Johnson County Transit and Johnson County Government is its own entity, and so while we also need federal funding to do above and beyond, we are not in any type of negative position right now," said Josh Powers, director of transit for Johnson County.
Johnson County Transit leased 50 buses and bought 10 buses for World Cup services.
The buses are ADA compliant, equipped with screens and cell phone charging ports, and will be used to operate a new route that will run from the Kansas City International Airport to Johnson County, thanks to $2 million in funding through the Mid-America Regional Council. According to Powers, the airport route to Johnson County will run every 20 minutes through Interstate 435 and pick up travelers near the Overland Park Convention Center and Lenexa City Center with no other stops.
Ideally, Powers said the county would like to add at least three additional circulatory routes to get people in and around the county during the tournament to help support the local economy, but funds are needed to make it happen.
"The circulatory routes and the direct express routes to FIFA Fan Fest are not funded, and so we are working and looking for opportunities to partner with our potentially participating cities, but we're also talking to the federal government," Powers said. "We really need federal support as a region to have the total response to [make the] World Cup be a success."
Powers explained operational funding for transit systems is challenging to secure, as federal financial support from agencies like the Federal Transit Administration and the Department of Transportation tends to favor capital expenditures over operational costs.
Plus, Powers said operational funding typically requires a 50/50 match, meaning for every dollar received, another dollar must be provided. In contrast, capital funding often provides an 80/20 split.
"Really, it (federal government) takes the burden of that capital purchase off of us, so we really need our federal delegation to think about ways that they can help us fund operations because that's where the greatest cost will be," Powers said.
On the other side of the state line, the Missouri Department of Transportation is preparing for the World Cup's impact on construction. MoDOT is in the process of delivering its biggest construction program to minimize impacts during the tournament.
Some of the agency's key strategies will include delaying peak-hour lane closures and adjusting digital boards to display real-time travel times along major corridors.
"We've worked hard to minimize impacts during the World Cup, so you'll see a lot of resurfacing projects this year and you'll see a lot of resurfacing and bridge projects in 2027, but we're by and large avoiding any impacts during the World Cup in June and July of 2026," explained Matt Killion, assistant district engineer for MoDOT.
Currently, one of MoDOT's biggest projects in Kansas City is Improve I-70 KC, which will result in a variety of improvements between Paseo Boulevard and U.S. 40/31st Street over the next couple of years.
In 2026, work on I-70 will focus on bridge work along 27th Street, Cleveland Avenue and Lister Avenue so the three lanes of I-70 open in each direction during the World Cup, per MoDOT. The work will be followed by a 10-month closure of I-70 from Prospect Avenue to Van Brunt Boulevard for mainline bridge and roadway work in 2027.
"We'll see possibly some increased traffic," Killion said. "The important thing is to check your route before you leave, make sure you know any impacts that might be out there due to an incident, to maybe choose a different route."
KC Scout, a bi-state initiative between the Missouri and Kansas departments of transportation, will be integral in providing travel and traffic information across the region during the tournament. The cameras incorporated within the KC Scout system give both departments and the public the opportunity to look at current traffic conditions.
This year, additional KC Scout cameras have been added on 71 Highway. KC Scout is also critical in helping both departments see and respond to emergency situations on the roads.
"We have emergency response folks that are on the road in the white trucks that say, 'Emergency Response,'" Killion said. "They work to clear incidents on the roads when that occurs, so we're starting discussions about additional resources for them."
Mike Moriarty, director of planning and development for KDOT, said upgrades to KC Scout cameras and digital display message boards have been made in Wyandotte County and will continue in preparation for the World Cup.
Discussions are also in the works with the Kansas Highway Patrol on how to manage traffic flow with an expected increase in congestion predicted to take place on interstates like I-35, I-435 and I-70.
Recently, KDOT closed the 18th Street Expressway bridge over the Kansas River with plans to spend the next two years demolishing the bridge and building a replacement.
"I would say 18th Street Expressway is going to be the most impact closure that we're anticipating during the World Cup," Moriarty said. "We've taken great, great care of the last 12 to eight months to schedule and reschedule our projects to minimize lane closures during the World Cup."
Beyond the metro, Moriarty said cities in Kansas — like Dodge City, Topeka and Wichita — are expecting passengers to come for the World Cup.
Once the tournament wraps up, Moriarty said there will be post-event evaluations to continue to prepare for future events.
"We're excited about this opportunity for the World Cup in 2026, and we're also very cognizant of the fact this isn't going to be the last time a world-class event is going to come to Kansas City," he said. "We want to constantly be improving upon our approach to these events."
Conversations with ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft continue to unfold. While no sit-down interviews were granted, both companies released the following statements to KSHB 41 about how operations will be impacted during the World Cup.
"As is the case for many major events, Uber is providing organizers with feedback on rideshare operational best practices to help venues prepare for the unique transportation challenges and high demand anticipated during the World Cup. As part of this effort, in April, Uber presented to FIFA and representatives from all host committees during a transportation summit designed to guide holistic mobility strategies for airports, fan festivals, and stadiums. While Uber is not directly involved in World Cup planning, we are preparing to support every city by updating pickup and dropoff zones at event sites and implementing road closures as needed to help streamline routing and organize user experience. Additionally, Uber’s Public Safety team is prepared to meet with law enforcement from host cities to share details about in-app safety features and how we work with federal and local agencies to promote safety across the platform, in particular during big events.”
"Lyft can’t wait for the 2026 World Cup! We serve a number of the host cities, where drivers will have a great opportunity to earn and connect fans in their communities. We expect a large number of rides in these cities on matchdays—we’ll work to ensure there are enough drivers to meet demand, and to help drivers make the most of their time. These efforts are part of our work to help both riders and drivers have a positive World Cup experience."
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