The new temporary bus line that takes soccer fans from Johnson County to World Cup matches at Arrowhead Stadium got mixed reviews after its debut on Tuesday.
On one hand, lines moved smoothly at the departure point at Oak Park Mall, as hundreds of fans boarded to be taken directly to the stadium. The mood at departure was festive, with fans from across the globe gathering to see Argentina play Algeria.
But things soured closer to the stadium itself in Missouri. There were reports of traffic so congested near the stadium that some people left their cars to walk more than a mile to get there.
In turn, getting back after the match also proved a chore for some, with reports of hours-long waits to leave the stadium and some fans arriving back at Oak Park Mall well past 1 a.m., more than three hours after the match ended.
As a result, there may be some changes forthcoming from FIFA, the tournament’s governing body and organizer of the stadium entry rules.
Local World Cup organizer KC2026 has sent FIFA some tips intended to make the trip smoother.
In a statement Thursday, FIFA defended the “strong operational outcome” of Tuesday’s Kansas City match but also said changes could be forthcoming ahead of the next match Kansas City hosts on Saturday.
“We’ve been in ongoing coordination with KC2026 and local traffic and transportation partners today and are implementing the necessary adjustments and enhancements,” FIFA said.
“A total failure”
Oak Park Mall is the only Stadium Direct drop-off point in Johnson County, and it is sold out for all four of the group stage games being played in Kansas City.
What riders shared on the Johnson County Post’s Facebook page showed a mixed bag of experiences on buses both taking fans to the stadium and FIFA Fan Fest at the World War I Museum & Memorial.
Elisabet Baltayan went to FIFA Fan Fest in downtown Kansas City with the intention of picking up a Stadium Direct bus from there, but she said there was an hour-long line to get on.
“We figured it would be another couple of hours’ wait at least. Got out of line and tried to get an Uber, but it got cancelled almost immediately,” she wrote.
She said she was able to download another rideshare app and get to the game.
The way back was better, although the lines were still confusing, she said.
“All in all, we would have paid for parking to avoid the heat and stress if we had known,” she said.
For Mary Meyer, it was the return to Oak Park Mall from FIFA Fan Fest that had the issues.
She said she ordered a rideshare after being told it would be at least two hours in line, because she believed other buses were being diverted to the stadium.
“Funny thing, at Oak Park there were at least 15 empty buses waiting to take people to surrounding areas. They were unaware of stranded people at Fan Fest. A total failure all around,” she said.
A positive experience bypassing the Oak Park Mall site
Chad Mees had a more positive experience, but he attributes that to bypassing the Oak Park Mall stop.
He said he was glad the sold-out Oak Park shuttle stop forced him to use the Stadium Direct drop-off site at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City.
Leaving from the Plaza Stadium Direct site, the trip went smoothly for Mees.
But he noticed things may not have been going as well for riders returning to Oak Park from the stadium after the match.
“The line for this route was at a standstill near the entrance of the temporary fences,” he said.
He suggested better instructions to riders leaving the stadium about which bus line they should be in.
Process is different from Chiefs games
One Facebook commenter mentioned that the stadium opening times were different from what people may be used to if they attend Kansas City Chiefs games.
The Chiefs generally open the gates more than four hours before kickoff and have eight entry points, while the FIFA rules were for two hours before kickoff with only two entrances for ticketholders.
Officials at KC2026 acknowledged the frustration and delays on the following days, noting that decisions about changing how stadium traffic and entry points were handled rested with FIFA.
That said, KC2026 organizers said they suggested some adjustments to improve operations before the match on Saturday.
