An Overland Park hotel could end up hosting a nation’s soccer team during the 2026 World Cup.
The Sheraton Hotel, connected to the Overland Park Convention Center at 6100 College Blvd., is one of three hotels in the Kansas City area that FIFA has listed as a possible hotel option for a nation’s team to stay at during the global sports spectacle, which will be hosted in North America in two years.
Each hotel is paired with a nearby training facility. If a team ends up lodging at the Sheraton Hotel, they would also use the Sporting KC Training Centre in Kansas City, Kansas.
In an emailed statement, Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog lauded the work of KC2026, the nonprofit organizing committee working to prepare the Kansas City area for the FIFA World Cup in two years.
“Along with welcoming players and fans to the metropolitan area, we are thrilled that Overland Park will host players and teams during the FIFA World Cup 2026,” he said. “We will have a ball showing Overland Park off on an international stage and helping people worldwide learn what a wonderful place Overland Park is to live, work, raise a family, and of course, play soccer.”
As of Wednesday evening, Visit OP, the nonprofit that serves as the city’s marketing and tourism agency, had not returned the Post’s request for comment.
What are World Cup base camps?
According to the FIFA announcement on Wednesday, base camps are “homes away from home” for teams playing in the World Cup.
During the tournament, the base camp locations serve as “the hub” for a team. FIFA’s initial list of base camps unveiled Wednesday include locations in 24 cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
There were three Kansas City-area base camps included in the first announcement.
FIFIA says more base camp options across North America are expected to be announced over the next year and a half.
Other cities that made the initial list of potential base camps include Atlanta, Louisville, Mexico City, Philadelphia and Salt Lake City.
In its announcement, FIFA suggested not all the locations listed may be chosen and that it will be up to the teams ultimately to decide where they live and train during the World Cup.
KCMO, Lawrence hotels are also on the base camp list
Besides the Overland Park Sheraton paired with Sporting KC’s training facility, there are two more Kansas City-area base camp locations on FIFA’s list so far.
Another of the base camp options is tied to the KC Current Training Facility in Riverside, Missouri. A team using that facility for training would stay at the Hotel Kansas City near the Power and Light District.
The other local base camp option would have teams using University of Kansas facilities for training and staying at the Stonehill Lawrence hotel in Lawerence, Kansas.
Kansas City will play a big role in the 2026 World Cup
- During the World Cup in 2026, 48 teams will play a total of 80 matches in North American cities.
- Kansas City — the self-proclaimed “Soccer Capital of America” — was named one of the 16 cities in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico selected to host 2026 World Cup matches.
- Six matches are expected to be played in Arrowhead Stadium, which is already undergoing some renovations in anticipation of the quadrennial event.
- Millions in public funds have been dedicated to supporting infrastructure investment in the region ahead of the tournament as well.
Keep reading: Millions in taxpayer money planned to get Kansas City ready for World Cup 2026
