#kc2026
The “We Want the World Cup” Streetcar rolls through the Crossroads Arts District in preparation for FIFA’s 2021 site vist. PHOTO CREDIT - Tyler McBee, Sporting Kansas City
Published October 21, 2021
Good Morning Kansas City,
This is it. Today’s the day. Take a moment and soak it in because there’s something in the air. Can you feel it?
While many of us were at home last night, nearly two dozen delegates from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) descended upon our beautiful city. We’re in the homestretch folks.
Today is a special day. Over the past ten to fifteen years, we’ve seen some special days. We have had so many moments where we came together to marvel as we took monumental steps forward as a city. We may not have known at it the time but every brick that was laid was for this moment.
We have been blessed with so many moments to celebrate together as our teams have had a run of success that is hard to match. Since 2012, we have played host to the MLB All-Star Game, MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup Final, 2 World Series, 2 AFC Championships, 2 US Open Cup Finals, and multiple World Cup qualifiers. We have won the MLS Cup, Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (3 times!), NWSL Cup (Twice!), American League Pennant (Twice), Lamar Hunt AFC Championship Trophy (Twice!), and the Super Bowl. And yet, today may be the most special day of all.
Over the past decade, unparalleled investments of nearly $400 million in soccer infrastructure, combined with an absolutely rabid and passionate fanbase, have helped establish Kansas City as the “Soccer Capital of America”. Being a top five United States television market for every FIFA World Cup since 2010, packing KC Live! to capacity to support the US Men’s and Women’s National Teams, a 125 match sell-out streak at Children’s Mercy Park - these things all led to this moment. (And being the home of the Emmy-winning head man at AFC Richmond doesn’t hurt either #Believe).
Today is not a blessing. It is the result of the tireless work of dozens and dozens of people over many years to put our city in this unique position. We are one of 17 finalists in the United States to host World Cup matches in 2026.
It goes without saying, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. Not just our lifetimes, this is the opportunity of Kansas City’s lifetime.
This is the opportunity for our amazing city to play host to the largest sporting event in the world. The Super Bowl, the NBA All-Star Game, the World Series, major political conventions - they all pale in comparison. This is a chance for our city to step onto the global stage.
“Just outside my window it says, ‘BRING THE WORLD CUP TO KANSAS CITY.’ And it’s the biggest poster that you can see in KC ... If that doesn’t say that this city is full of soccer fans, I don’t know what does.”
This is so much bigger than soccer. This is so much bigger than sports. This is even about more than, at minimum, $640 million in revenue for our city (though don’t get me wrong, that is a factor).
Today is about Kansas City. Today is for all of us. And if you love this city like I do, now is the time to step up. The #kc2026 bid committee has done an amazing job to put us in this position. We have all seen the posters in the windows, the wrapped streetcar and that behemoth of a sign in the Crossroads. However, the greatest resource and what makes this city so special has always been unarguably and unequivocally the people and today, that is what we need most.
There are three things the people of Kansas City can do today to let FIFA know we want to bring the World Cup to the Heart of America:
#kc2026 - If you do nothing else at all today, make sure that #kc2026 dominates the social media airwaves. The committee has even made it easy by setting up a Dropbox of graphics you can use. If you love this city, post at least one thing with this hashtag OR share something from the Kansas City 2026 World Cup Bid Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.
Go to www.kc2026.com and sign the petition if you have not already done so.
If you can attend, tickets are still available for tonight’s match at Children’s Mercy Park between the four-time FIFA World Cup Champion United States Women’s National Team, led by Kansas City’s own Vlatko Andonovski, and a world-ranked Korea team. Not only will this be the second-to-last international cap for the legendary Carli Lloyd, but this will be the finale of FIFA’s visit to our city.
There are a plethora of articles from local and national media alike about why we should host. I don’t need to convince you. You live here. You know why our city would be an amazing host but if you do need some reasons, so many others have already said everything I could hope to say and more. So for now, as a city, we must once again come together from both sides of Stateline and let the world hear us.
This is our time. This is our day. This is the moment where we show the world what makes us the Soccer Capital of America. This is the moment where we show the world that Flyover Country is a Myth. This is the moment where we can bring the world’s game to the Midwest.
So find thirty seconds, share #kc2026, and show FIFA that we want the World Cup here in Kansas City.
WE WANT THE WORLD CUP!
Devan
All week long, the Kansas City International Airport has ensured that all arriving in our city, including the FIFA delegation, know that WE WANT THE WORLD CUP.
