Editor’s note: This story was updated to correct an error. Team England and Algeria each had a match on Saturday, not Friday.
It may seem too soon, but with only two days left of group stage matches, the World Cup is about to end its first phase. Winners will go on to the knock-out rounds. The ones who don’t make it will likely pack up and head back to their home countries.
The Kansas City Fan Festival will keep going until July 11, though, so if you are beginning to experience some fear-of-missing-out about heading to the World War I Memorial hill to experience it, it’s not too late.
It’s free (unless you decide to pop for the two pay options), high-energy and at least for me, not too stressful. Kind of like a state fair without all the barkers and rides.
What’s playing
Depending on your point of view, it’s soccer between the music acts or music between the soccer matches. The dates and times of Fan Fest and the lineup can be found here. The music is a variety of genres, many of them local, but there are some better-known names as well, including Sheryl Crow, Tech N9ne and The All-American Rejects.
But who are we kidding? The reason we’re here is the soccer, and the drama is just beginning.
Friday through Saturday, teams that haven’t already made it out of group stage will be fighting for their lives. That includes a couple of teams base-camped here.
Team England and Algeria will each have a match on Saturday. If things go well for them, they might be able to stay in Prairie Village and Lawrence a little bit longer for the next rounds.
The teams that are already on the FIFA schedule for the Round of 32 are the United States, Argentina, Germany, South Africa, Canada, Switzerland, Brazil, Japan, the Netherlands, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Mexico, Australia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The FIFA schedule of matches lists the teams as they qualify.
After that, Fan Fest will air Round of 32 and Round of 16 games until its last day, July 11. The World Cup continues with quarterfinals, semis and a third-place playoff until the crowning final match July 19.
How to get there — and where to park
Fan Fest is free but there are options to pay more for spaces with a few more amenities. It does require a mobile ticket because there’s a 25,000 maximum capacity, so there’s always a chance that cap could be reached. However people don’t necessarily stay for every match. As they leave, new people can be let in.
Tickets are available through the KC2026 website.
Getting there does involve some planning. Parking is very limited in the area around the memorial. But the streetcar stops right by it, so a good strategy is to find parking along the streetcar line and ride from there.
Ride KC has some comprehensive coverage of parking near the streetcar line. Parking at the Country Club Plaza is free, but there are a variety of rates at other places.
Connect KC also has regional direct lines heading to Fan Fest from various locations.
Once you’re there
I went on the day the United States was playing, so I had some nerves about how many people would be there. I’m not a lover of big, loud crowds. But although it was likely one of the more crowded days, it never felt oppressive inside.
Yes, there was a line to get in, but it moved smoothly through the screening. This had also been a worry because the list of prohibited items is quite long. A loudspeaker voice kept repeating the bag and stroller policies, which was helpful.
The grounds cover 44 acres so it turns out there is plenty of room to move around without bumping into people. There’s a central lawn in front of the stage where a lot of people stood to watch, but quite a few people further back were also sitting down on the grass or on blankets (which are allowed with some restrictions, but lawn chairs are not).
There were also big screens throughout, so no need to be standing all the time, craning to see over the tall people.
It was sunny and hot, but there were lots of ways to get out of the heat even if you didn’t pay for the swanky air-conditioned area. Mature trees lined either side of the main lawn, with space to sit beneath them. The food area was further west, and there were some picnic tables and a few chairs there as well.
The festival also had a smaller second viewing area to the east with shade covering. And there were strategically placed mist fans to cool off under as well.
The food and water situation
Fan Fest allows people to bring empty, refillable plastic water bottles, but I didn’t want to be bothered keeping track of one. It was worth the money, for me, to spend $5 for a bottle of water and keep refilling it at any of the water refilling stations, then toss it in the recycling. There were usually long lines at these, too, but the one I used was within view of a big screen.
The food vendors were lined up in one corridor among some trees to the east of the main lawn. The 20 locally well-known vendors ran the gamut of offerings from barbeque to donuts to empanadas and tacos — including a handful from Johnson County. It was set up like an outdoor food hall, with vendors all in a line on either side of a plastic walkway. There were some picnic tables and enough shade to make it pleasant. Aside from a corn dog vendor and booths selling beer and soft drinks, the food was all in one place.
Restrooms
The entire west side was lined with portable toilets that were a level up from the ones you might expect at a street fair or fun run. They flushed, for one thing. There was no hand sanitizer inside, but a few steps away were little sinks and paper towels. One drawback: There seemed to be a shortage of bins to throw away the paper towels, so some of the toilets had used ones piled in corners.
Other attractions
The Fan Fest organizers also had some distractions lined up for some little lulls between the action. The day I was there, the Rumble drum corps for the Kansas City Chiefs paraded through to rev up the crowd before the U.S. game. I’m told there were bagpipers on hand Wednesday before the Scotland game, too.
The big heart and giant soccer ball close to the entrance are magnets for selfie seekers, and there are more than enough volunteers to help you take them.
Also on the festival grounds were some commercial offerings, including a large FIFA store selling official gear. A Coca-Cola booth offered face paint, capes, headbands and other activities. Purina had a place to customize bandanas for dogs.
I was mystified by a huge line that formed to the Bank of America booth and just kept growing, snaking and coiling around a good portion of the main lawn. It turned out to be a hugely popular giveaway of a customizable World Cup themed “fan bands” that looked somewhat like charm bracelets. I was told later by a Bank of America spokesperson that they have since begun a wristband system to manage the lines.
The vibes
There was a big crowd the afternoon I was there. But honestly, it was fine. People were excited for the game and the entertainment, but not so much that it led to conflicts. Parents brought their kids. And if things did get tense – which they didn’t – there was lots of room to walk away.
Police were there and visible, but not in a way to be offputting. It never felt unsafe.
Best advice
- Definitely wear lots of sunscreen and a hat. (The guy in front of me took a unique approach, bringing a leafy tree branch for shade as he waited in line – to the admiration of his fellow line standers. He gave it up to security staff at the gate.)
- Charge up your phone, because tickets and everything else are online. Once inside, it’s a cashless system for anything you want to buy.
- If you make the streetcar part of your plans, just know that the stop directly in front of the memorial may be closed at some point to keep crowds out of the street. In that case you have to walk to the next closest stops at Union Station (all downhill) or about a half mile south to the Union Hill stop (partly uphill).
- Relax and have fun. The World Cup won’t be back for a while.
