Children’s Mercy Park will serve as the setting for a 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup doubleheader on Wednesday night, highlighted by the United States Men’s National Team vs. Panama at 8 p.m. CT.
Tickets for the highly anticipated double-dip remain available at SeatGeek.com, and there is no shortage of reasons to make a beeline to Children’s Mercy Park on Wednesday. From stars on the field and pageantry in the stands to showing support for Kansas City’s 2026 World Cup bid, here are eight reasons to snap up Gold Cup tickets.
1. Top Spot Up for Grabs
The United States and Panama have cruised to a pair of wins in their first two group stage matches. The USA, led by head coach Gregg Berhalter, have been particularly rampant en route to a 4-0 win over Guyana and a 6-0 defeat of Trinidad and Tobago last week. The USA and Panama are both assured of a spot in the knockout rounds, but top spot in Group D—and presumably a more favorable quarterfinal matchup—is firmly up for grabs.
2. Christian Pulisic
The 20-year-old wunderkind has enjoyed a meteoric rise since opening his U.S. MNT scoring account at Children’s Mercy Park over three years ago. Despite his age, Pulisic has already established himself as an elite midfielder among Europe’s elite clubs—landing a lucrative transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea earlier this year—and his quality on the pitch is unmistakable. The Pennsylvania-bred playmaker had a goal and three assists against Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday, and the opportunity to see him live on Wednesday is too good to pass up.
3. Support #KC2026
Kansas City’s bid to become a Host City for the 2026 FIFA World Cup faces stern competition from 16 other American cities vying for 10 host slots. By filling Children’s Mercy Park on Wednesday, soccer fans across the city will be directly supporting Kansas City’s push to bring the world’s biggest sporting event to the heartland in seven years’ time. For more information on the bid, including volunteer opportunities and a space to sign the online petition, visit KC2026.com.
4. Stay Unbeaten at CMP
The U.S. Men’s National Team is 6-0-1 all-time in Kansas City and 4-0-1 at Children’s Mercy Park. An electric atmosphere on Wednesday could go a long way in helping the Americans extend that unbeaten record at the expense of Panama.
5. A Budding Rivalry
USA-Mexico is the top-of-mind rivalry in Concacaf, but the United States and Panama have slowly forged a rivalry of their own that has intensified over the last decade. On the final matchday of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying, Graham Zusi's 92nd minute goal ousted Panama to dash the country’s dreams of reaching their first World Cup. Four years later, Panama's 88th-minute game-winning goal on the final day of 2018 World Cup qualifying punched their first-ever ticket to the tournament and prevented the Americans from reaching the sport’s grandest stage. Moreover, the U.S. and Panama have now met in eight straight editions of the Gold Cup dating back to 2005.
6. Double the Fun
USA-Panama is undoubtedly the top billing on Wednesday, but fans will have the chance to enjoy two matches at one of America’s heralded soccer cathedrals. Trinidad and Tobago meets Guyana in the first contest, slated to kick off at 5:30 p.m. CT.
7. Futbol Fiesta
Supporters attending Wednesday’s matches will be able to enjoy and celebrate beyond the competition at the Gold Cup Futbol Fiesta presented by Toyota, held on the Toyota Plaza. Futbol Fiesta will be the official pre-game fan destination, offering a festive and free experience with several fan-friendly activations. More information on Futbol Fiesta is available here.
8. Fan Merchandise
Fans will have a chance to secure official Gold Cup merchandise, accessories and memorabilia including scarves, event tees, caps and more from the participating teams and the tournament at SportingStyle locations across the stadium. Looking for that new Pulisic jersey, a U.S. MNT scarf or a Gold Cup shirt? Then Children’s Mercy Park is the place to be on Wednesday.
