In a three-year span, Kansas Metropolis will make historical past with high-profile soccer coming to the midwest metropolis. Kansas Metropolis is certainly one of eight venues to host each the Copa America in 2024 and the World Cup in 2026. On the similar time, it has the privilege of internet hosting Inter Miami at Arrowhead Stadium this April in a Main League Soccer recreation in opposition to Sporting Kansas Metropolis.
Katherine Holland is the chief director of KC2026, the nonprofit overseeing host metropolis duties for the World Cup in Kansas Metropolis. Holland lately spoke to World Soccer Discuss concerning the preparations for the World Cup and the potential advantages for Kansas Metropolis. All of it begins with Arrowhead Stadium, which supplies a world-class venue to host groups throughout the World Cup.
The standard residence of the NFL’s Kansas Metropolis Chiefs is the crux of the operation. Youngsters’s Mercy Park, residence of Sporting Kansas Metropolis, is without doubt one of the three MLS-specific venues internet hosting video games within the Copa America. Nevertheless, the much-anticipated USA versus Uruguay recreation is at Arrowhead, which has over quadruple the capability of the MLS area.
Bringing advantages to Kansas Metropolis and the World Cup
Every of the 16 venues for the World Cup is already constructed. Arrowhead is just not a brand new venue. Nor will it want in depth testing to see how effectively the stadium can host 1000’s of followers. The 2026 World Cup is the primary in over 20 years to not have any new stadium building. Up to now, host nations and cities spent tens of millions, if not billions, on new stadiums. That has plunged these areas into monetary turmoil.
For Kansas Metropolis, the aim for revenue is clearer. Whereas Holland didn’t present a selected quantity, the facet already has projections on Kansas and Missouri’s advantages. These largely rely upon the schedules from FIFA. As Holland referred to as them, these are the lynchpin for Kansas Metropolis’s success in 2026.
“It’s an unbelievable alternative for Kansas and Missouri to point out off in a manner that we have now not essentially been afforded that chance previously,” Holland stated. “It’s straightforward to know why somebody may trip in Los Angeles or New York/New Jersey. Possibly Kansas Metropolis and our area was not a vacation spot. It’s definitely extra on the high of thoughts now.”
Having folks go to from the world over might have long-term financial impacts on the world. Resorts, airfare, eating places and different technique of tourism-based revenue will profit from the World Cup. These projections will nonetheless take a while to formulate.
The ‘Soccer Capital of America’
Whatever the video games coming to Kansas Metropolis, town has a popularity as an lively space in relation to soccer. Assume again to earlier World Cups and fan reactions to the USMNT. KC Dwell! is a procuring and occasion space the place followers frequently meet as much as watch the most important video games. Throughout its bidding course of to be a number metropolis, FIFA officers visited the world. It supplies an perception into the fervour town can present.
“Being the soccer capital of America is not only a advertising tagline,” defined Holland. “We actually do display that zeal whether or not it’s by means of funding within the recreation or offering areas and alternatives for followers to collect and have fun the game collectively, which resonates for followers exterior our market.”
Competing groups may profit from Kansas Metropolis
Kansas Metropolis additionally has a profit that no different host venue has: Location. Kansas Metropolis is near the geographic middle of the contiguous United States. Holland added that it’s lower than a four-hour flight to any of the opposite 15 host cities. That affords some choices for groups seeking to set up base camps.
“What folks don’t usually discuss is group base camps. We’re in an incredible place regionally to be an actual vacation spot for doubtlessly a number of federations to form of name Kansas Metropolis in our area residence throughout that event. That makes us a profitable spot for federations. We perceive that because of the caliber of our services, we’ll possible garner curiosity from a serious soccer powerhouse that might have the funds.”
Kansas Metropolis is an everyday host of aggressive video games involving the USMNT. It hosted a pair of World Cup qualifying video games within the 2014 cycle. It additionally hosted 11 video games at 4 Gold Cups. Nevertheless, Arrowhead Stadium is much extra used to American soccer and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
If it may create an identical environment because the Chiefs, which have hosted the final 5 AFC Championship video games, Kansas Metropolis might be a memorable host venue for the World Cup.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.
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