The party vibes were high Sunday afternoon as Johnson County kicked off the year-long run-up to the 2026 World Cup.
More than 3,850 people came out on a humid 92-degree day to chant at a pep rally featuring former U.S. Men’s National Team veteran and Overland Park native Matt Besler, to listen to live music, test their soccer dribbling skills, watch a dog frisbee catching exhibition and eat at a line of food trucks at the Aspiria campus in Overland Park.
Quite a few of them also took in a session on how to go about volunteering to help the expected 650,000 visitors and keep the world’s biggest sporting event running.
(Missed the event? Check out some of our photos that captured the vibes.)
The metro area is a host city to the event. Kansas City and fringe cities will be faced with a monumental task as people from all over the world arrive to watch the six matches scheduled for Arrowhead Stadium from June 16 through July 11. Those matches include two knockout rounds — the Round of 32 and a Quarterfinal.
The area’s World Cup organizers and some elected officials were on hand to talk about the benefits they see from having the tournament in Kansas City. Johnson County Commission Chair Mike Kelly said the tournament will be a chance for Johnson County and Kansas City to show off its “amazing culture, workforce, ethics and hospitality. It’s our time to shine.”
That opportunity comes with a long and complex to-do list, however.
The World Cup needs 6,000 volunteers
The World Cup experience will not be isolated to just six games in a football stadium. The average international visitor will stay about 10 days, so there will be demand for other things to do and transportation to get them there.
Visitors may need help at the airport and transit hubs, and also directions to stores and restaurants. There will also be a large open-air Fan Fest area at the World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City where visitors can gather for related events.
All of that will require a lot of volunteers. Lori Thomas, director of volunteer operations for local World Cup organizer KC2026 said she hopes to get 12,000 people signed up, so that after attrition, they will have the 6,000 volunteers needed to fill all the spots. About 3,000 had signed up before the kickoff event began, she said.
Those volunteers will be personally interviewed and background checked, and must commit to nine shifts of eight hours per shift (but none will work more than four days a week). They are unpaid but will get some perks, including a multi-piece uniform they can keep, Thomas said.
The volunteer tent had some of the biggest attendance of the kickoff event. Some 50-60 people listened to one of the volunteer presentations. Holly Amicucci, a prospective volunteer who moved back to Kansas City about three years ago from New York City, said she’s seen big international sports events there and the impact and excitement they cause. “I don’t think Kansas City really gets it yet,” she said.
The KC2026 website has a place to apply to volunteer.
She said her family — especially her husband — is into soccer and looks forward to volunteering.
Tourism, transportation and housing
Even the visitors with match tickets may still want things to do and see on non-game days, said Pam Kramer, KC2026 CEO.
Europeans, in particular, have a keen interest in Americana and the American West, she said. And, although the iconic Route 66 doesn’t run through Kansas City, it does touch Kansas and Missouri. Next year will be the 100th anniversary of the route, and there’s “huge international interest in it,” Kramer said.
Those people will need a guide of historic places and other attractions in the area, she said.
They also will need a way to get around. Some people may fly to other cities, like Chicago and St. Louis, and then take a train to Kansas City, she said. Talks are already underway with Amtrak about adding capacity to its passenger service to Kansas City during the tournament, she said.
Overland Park has 4,900 hotel rooms, and Mayor Curt Skoog said he expects them to fill up during the games. But if some people decide to rent out their own living space, that will make even more places available.
Rules on short-term rentals vary from city to city, but the Mid-America Regional Council has been compiling information on what each city is allowing, Kramer said.
Local business impacts
World Cup organizers are also working out how to help businesses benefit from the influx of guests. That will involve a lot of data, “heat maps” of where and when the most traffic will be, said Tracy Whelpley, director of regional impact for KC2026.
The organizers also hope to provide local business owners with cultural training on the teams, once Kansas City officials find out what teams will play here, she said.
The biggest business impact will likely be in such areas as lodging and transportation, she said. But with the average international visitor staying 10 days, some other services may see a bump.
“They may need to get their nails done, their hair done, make an appointment with a barber,” as well as find arts and entertainment, she said. The suppliers to those businesses may also be impacted as well.
Safety and security plans are underway
A top priority for Skoog is security and finding enough law enforcement officers. Overland Park officials have been working with the FBI, Secret Service and other states to figure out a security plan. “We want to make sure it’s safe for everybody. That’s the most critical,” he said.
That effort may involve bringing in some officers from outside the metro area and surrounding states to supplement the ones already here, he said.
Skoog also said it’s important that local residents have a chance to participate and enjoy the tournament. Right now, the Overland Park Farmers’ Market is a bare construction area, but it is scheduled to be ready next spring, he said.
Although the Sheraton Hotel at the Overland Park Convention Center won’t be a base camp, the building will still have some as-yet undetermined role, he said, suggesting that it could become an indoor event space.
“I never use the word 100% on anything, but we’ll be prepared. We’ll be ready,” Skoog said. “We’re confident we’ll have a successful event.”
