The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just about 75 days away, and it’s expected to bring some 650,000 visitors to the Kansas City area, including the suburban communities like Overland Park around the metro.
For months now, city officials and local leaders in Overland Park have been preparing for the World Cup on all sorts of fronts.
“They’re coming, and we are ready,” Mayor Curt Skoog said during the Overland Park City Council Committee of the Whole briefing on World Cup preparations this week.
From special soccer-themed events to welcome hubs and delaying infrastructure work, here’s what’s planned around Overland Park during the World Cup:
Welcome hubs at two key Overland Park spots
As part of its World Cup preparations, Overland Park plans to have two welcome hub spaces in the city for visitors and residents alike. Those will be at Oak Park Mall (in the old On The Border restaurant space near 95th Street and Quivira) and at the Overland Park Convention Center.
Both of these spots align with major stops on the public transit bus system that will pass through Johnson County during the World Cup events this summer.
Assistant City Manager Jack Messer said the convention center welcome hub will offer relaxation spaces, power banks for charging devices, access to transportation (like rental car options, transit and ride-shares), information, restrooms and food/drink options.
The welcome hub at the mall could offer amenities as well, but it will be a designated parking area for Fan Fest and stadium park and ride activities. Messer said the hope is that people stopping at this hub will go into the mall for shopping, dining, etc.
Overland Park has a slate of “Soccer Summer Celebration” events
Throughout June and July, the city is planning or intends to sponsor several events tied to the World Cup. Those events, which will be called Summer Soccer Celebrations and be timed with major KC2026 match days, are:
- 5 p.m. on June 16 at Clock Tower Landing in downtown Overland Park
- Noon on June 19 at Scheels Overland Park Soccer Complex
- TBA on June 25 at Prairiefire (135th and Nall)
- TBA on July 3 at Bluhawk (in coordination with the annual Red, White and Bluhawk Independence Day event)
- 5 p.m. on July 11 at Clock Tower Landing downtown
- TBA on July 19 at Prairiefire (to align with the final match of the World Cup)
Regular summer events that usually occur in June and July are also expected to continue as typically planned around the city, open to both residents and World Cup visitors. Those include:
- Downtown Overland Park Car Show: June 11 at Thompson Park
- Summer Concert Series: June 11 at Thompson Park
- Downtown Overland Park Art Fair: June 12 and 13 around Clock Tower Landing
- Juneteenth: June 13 at Thompson Park and at Prairiefire
- Star Spangled Spectacular: July 4 at Corporate Woods Founders’ Park
- Summer Concert Series: July 9 at Thompson Park
On top of those special World Cup and regular summer events, Overland Park also continues to approve permits for special events planned throughout the city during the World Cup, primarily smaller-scale events at this point. Find out more here.
Overland Park’s short-term rental rules remain the same
Though some cities made special, temporary changes to rules and codes that govern short-term rentals like Air BnBs and VRBOs, Overland Park has not.
That means the city still requires individuals who want to list their residence on such websites and apps for guests during the World Cup to follow the standard rental procedure, pay the $120 two-year licensing fee to the city, and have a property inspection. Find out more here.
Reminder: While Overland Park does not have a ban on short-term rentals, some homeowners associations do.
City will scale back roadwork during World Cup
During the summer months, drivers can usually expect to see an uptick in roadwork, utility work and other infrastructure projects around the city. However, there’s going to be less of that this summer.
Assistant City Manager Kate Gunja said Overland Park has rescheduled some street projects that would typically occur in June or July in an effort to cut down on traffic congestion from roadwork. She did not provide specific examples.
Additionally, the city has placed restrictions on utility or infrastructure work in the right-of-way and associated lane closures along key corridors from June 1 until July 15. That includes downtown Overland Park, around the Overland Park Convention Center, along Metcalf Avenue, on College Boulevard, around Oak Park Mall, in the Bluhawk area near 159th and US-69, and along 135th Street between Switzer and Nall.
Gunja said those areas may have more traffic, coinciding with local events, match day traveling and other World Cup festivities, so the idea is to cut down on anything that could slow that down.
Keep reading: ‘Building a legacy’ — Johnson County United officially launches ahead of World Cup
