KC2026, the nonprofit entity charged with fulfilling Kansas City’s Host City requirements for FIFA World Cup 26™, recently completed a site visit with key FIFA and FIFA26 representatives as part of an operational tour which began last week in Miami and ends with Vancouver in early November.
On Sunday, September 24, the KC2026 Board of Directors welcomed a group of over 30 FIFA and FIFA26 experts from key operational areas, from transport and stadium operations to hospitality and pitch management. The delegation later attended the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Chicago Bears game, providing them with an example of the energy, excitement and passion fans bring to the beloved NFL venue, as well as giving them a chance to see the some of the venue’s operational services and facilities in action on a match day.
The following day, FIFA evaluated training sites around the Kansas City area and met with local stakeholders including the KCATA, Kansas City Aviation Department, KCPD, Kansas City Streetcar Authority and the Department of Homeland Security. Topics of discussion focused on the stadium, host city operations and training sites, but also encompassed transportation and traffic management, Kansas City International Airport, safety and security, team base camps, turf management and FIFA Fan Festival.
“This was an incredible opportunity to not only discuss critical topics of importance related to the ongoing planning and operationalization of KC2026, but also reinforce what makes Kansas City special,” said Katherine Holland, KC2026 Executive Director. “Thank you to all the individuals and organizations who participated in meetings with our colleagues from FIFA and FIFA26. I continue to be delighted and gratified by the enthusiastic support of our entire region.”
In 2026, three host countries, 16 Host Cities, 48 teams and 104 matches will deliver the most inclusive and diverse sporting event ever, uniting the entire world on a huge stage and engaging millions of fans across 16 stadiums and billions worldwide. The much-loved four-team group stage is retained and leads into an expanded knockout phase that will see the world’s 32 best national teams fight it out for the game’s ultimate prize.
Claudio Cailá Müller, Executive Director Operations, FIFA World Cup 2026™, said: “It was great to be with the various delivery teams in Kansas City to see how their operational plans have been developing, and meet with our key counterparts across a range of functions as we all work together to deliver the biggest FIFA World Cup ever in under three years’ time. We’d like to thank the entire Kansas City team for their dedication and enthusiasm to the project, as well as the amazing experience we all had at the Kansas City Chiefs game. It’s a fantastic sporting venue that we know is going to offer fans something special during the FIFA World Cup in 2026.”
