Alex Omorodion is a lifelong soccer fan who is looking forward to the Kansas City area making its mark on the 2026 World Cup this summer.
A semi-pro soccer player himself, Omorodion was also recently selected to serve as a volunteer for FIFA’s global soccer tournament: He’ll be a greeter at FanFest, planned for around the World War I Museum and Memorial downtown.
He may also find himself hanging out more at Meadowbrook Park in Prairie Village. That’s because the star-studded English team, led by Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford, among others, is set to stay at the Inn at Meadowbrook, a boutique hotel at the heart of the park, during the tournament.
Omorodion, who lives in Missouri, visited Meadowbrook Park for the first time with a friend last week. He said he plans to frequent the park more often, partially in the hopes of “run(ing) into” the England soccer team.
He added that he believes the World Cup is “a huge opportunity” for Kansas City — and the rest of the metro, including Prairie Village — to “show what we’re about.” (Three other international squads, Algeria, Argentina and the Netherlands, will also stay in the Kansas City area.)
From the amenities and services to the state-of-the-art training facilities, Omorodion said it’s exciting that Kansas City, the smallest North American city to host matches this summer, will be the “first taste” of the U.S. for these teams and their fans.
“I think when they go back home and they recount their stories of their experience of the U.S., it’s really nice that they’ll be able to say good things, hopefully,” Omorodion said.
“We are being elevated onto the global stage”
Last month, the Daily Mail, a British tabloid, first reported that the English World Cup team plans to stay at the Inn at Meadowbrook. Multiple local sources have since confirmed that to the Post.
According to sources, the England national soccer team booked the entire 54-room hotel in Prairie Village.
The Inn at Meadowbrook’s online booking system also shows it is fully booked from June 10 through July 18.
On Monday, the Prairie Village City Council voted 9-0 to approve the city police department’s request to purchase up to $120,000 worth of “safety and security” equipment for the World Cup. (Councilmembers Shelby Bartelt, Ian Graves and Jim Sellers were absent.)
That money will be used to get Prairie Village a mobile surveillance trailer for up to $61,000, and a vehicle barrier and access control system for up to $55,000.
Police Chief Eric McCullough said the city has the “unique privilege playing host” for the World Cup, a nod to the England team’s expected stay in Prairie Village, which still hasn’t been officially announced, though he did not name Meadowbrook Park directly.
McCullough added that it is important to “properly secure that both for the enjoyment of our own citizens and guests as well as guests that will be staying there.”
McCullough said the federal government has yet to release the funding necessary to purchase the equipment (due to an ongoing partial government shutdown), and he would prefer to have approvals from the local organizing group KC2026 and the Mid-America Regional Council that the federal funding is secured before the city moves ahead.
McCullough said he has been told that the expenditure is likely reimbursable, but there is no clear reimbursement plan at this time.
Also on Monday, Mayor Eric Mikkelson referenced a New York Times article that cited the Post’s reporting mentioning Meadowbrook Park, and how the England team fell in love with the hotel and the park.
“We are definitely being elevated onto the global stage here, in a big way,” Mikkelson said.
“It’d just be fun to see them”
Like Omorodion, other Meadowbrook Park patrons the Post spoke to on a recent sunny and unseasonably warm afternoon are excited about the possibility of the England team staying at the park they love.
For Joann H., who chose not to give her last name, she’s excited to tell her oldest son, who loves soccer, about the team staying so close. She also thinks the soccer team being near her favorite park may bring more business.
Cris and Ernie Pierson visit Meadowbrook Park to walk the trails several times each week.
The couple previously stayed at The Inn at Meadowbrook — which Cris said is “absolutely beautiful” — and frequents both the attached restaurants, The Market at Meadowbrook and Verbena.
The Piersons do not keep up with soccer, though they do attend their grandchildren’s matches.
Still, they told the Post that they see the possibility of the England team staying at The Inn as a positive and are hopeful it will bring nearby businesses “a lot of money.”
“They won’t be here that long, so I don’t think it’ll be an inconvenience at all,” Cris said. “It’ll be really fun. I hope to see them out playing around. Maybe they’ll be out walking around — I don’t know any of them, but it’d just be fun to see them.”
What do local businesses think?
The two businesses most directly impacted by the team’s stay will be The Market at Meadowbrook and Verbena, both attached to The Inn.
Joe Follett, the manager of Verbena, told the Post it is against the restaurant’s policy to discuss potential guests at the hotel.
The owners of The Market at Meadowbrook also could not be reached for comment for this story.
Other nearby businesses, including those along a busy stretch of 95th Street where Prairie Village meets Overland Park, expressed relative excitement about the prospect of international soccer players being in such proximity, even if they thought it wouldn’t have much direct impact on their business.
Travis Seipel, owner of Odyssey Coffee near 95th and Nall Avenue, told the Post earlier this month that he sees the prospect of the team staying at The Inn as a positive.
“It’s a great addition to the neighborhood, a great landing spot for them,” Seipel said.
At Puppy’s Playpen nearby, employees told the Post there is unlikely to be much of an impact on their business. Front desk worker Cailee Hansen said the only way Puppy’s Playpen may be impacted is if clients book more boarding stays to attend the games this summer.
Sales associates at Booth Creek Wagyu at Meadowbrook Shopping Center said they don’t keep up with or particularly enjoy watching soccer.
They did have one question for the England national team, though.
“Do they like steak?” said sales associate Jose Medina.
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