KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County. Share your story idea with Tod.
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FIFA World Cup 26 kicks off a little more than a year from now and KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer, who is spearheading the Kansas City region’s preparations, has big ambitions for the event’s smallest host city.
“I hope, at the end of this, the headline is ‘how did the world's smallest host city become the heart of the World Cup, how do we win over the world?” Kramer said. “And I think we'll do it.”
With its passionate sports culture, Kramer is convinced Kansas City will shine on the world stage.
“It is part of our fabric and our DNA that we want to prove to the world what we all know — that we can do this,” Kramer said. “Coming out of this, I think there will be not only greater confidence here, but greater confidence and knowledge around the world of what we can do.”
The World Cup serves as a chance for Kansas City to show off the things that make our city and region special.
WATCH | Welcoming the World: How Kansas City became a World Cup host city
“We want people to stay here and we want people to experience the authentic, welcoming nature of our people and our culture,” Kramer said.
But organizers also hope Kansas City residents relish the World Cup experience.
“There's been a lot of focus on the visitor experience and who's coming, but I want them to know this is going to be great for people who live here,” Kramer said. “It’s a chance to not only show off who we are, but to engage with other cultures and to experience the World Cup, which is the joy that fans bring, and the excitement around this global event is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
The FIFA World Cup 26 draw will take place in early December. That will determine which seven teams are coming to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for four group-stage games. Kansas City will also host two games in the knockout rounds, including a World Cup quarterfinal.
Kansas City’s plan for Fan Fest has become a model for FIFA, and the region was the first to get 200 extra buses under contract for next summer’s global soccer spectacle.
Kramer said KC2026 feels comfortably on schedule with respect to FIFA’s main planning concerns — transportation, safety and security, community impact and legacy, fan fest and events, and the financial component.
“We're green (as in ahead of schedule) in every planning vertical with FIFA, so that's good news,” Kramer said. “We still have a lot of work to do, but we feel good about where we are, particularly relative to some of our fellow host cities. We feel like we're ahead of the game.”
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