There’s a scene that Alan Dietrich probably watches repeatedly. Somewhere between Kansas and Missouri, four Argentine soccer officials, just off a flight, crammed themselves into his small SUV. Not much fanfare. No entourage. Surprisingly, there were only four men quietly observing that traffic wasn’t too bad. By evening, they were enjoying a spread of ten meats at Jack Stack Barbecue, chatting with waiters who were passionate about soccer and seemingly at ease. A few days later, Lionel Messi’s team, Argentina, the current world champions, decided to use Kansas City as their World Cup base camp.
It sounds almost too easy. However, that dinner over barbecue and that afternoon in an SUV may have been the most significant sales pitch in Kansas City’s recent history.
Because Kansas City’s current efforts go far beyond just holding a few football games. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to have a direct economic impact of over $653 million in retail, food, hospitality, and tourism, and the city has committed nearly $200 million in public investment. It is anticipated that over 650,000 people will come, which is more than the city’s own population of about 520,000. It’s not a peaceful hosting arrangement. That’s a city wagering six soccer matches on its standing abroad.
Whether that wager is a wise one is still up for debate. When Victor Matheson, a professor of sports economics at The College of the Holy Cross, questioned whether fans on a once-in-a-lifetime trip from Japan, Uzbekistan, or Cape Verde would actually pick Kansas City over Miami or Los Angeles, he put it simply. It’s reasonable to be curious. Kansas City has fewer direct international flights than the majority of the 16 North American host cities, and the ones that are available are expensive. Matheson himself traveled from Boston for a game and had no intention of staying longer. Some fans will fly in for a game and depart within 36 hours.
Nevertheless, during the base camp selection process, an unforeseen event occurred that nobody had fully anticipated. In the end, Kansas City hosted not one, but three of the top seven national teams after the World Cup draw in December put Argentina and the Netherlands in the city’s group-stage bracket and FIFA’s regulations granted higher-ranked teams first selection rights. Argentina selected the training facilities of Sporting KC. The Netherlands took over the Kansas City Current’s NWSL home. After feeling left behind at first, England continued to circle back until arriving at Swope Soccer Village. No other city in the competition served as a base camp for more than one top seed.
There’s a feeling that this wasn’t just an accident. The host committee in Kansas City agreed to every request, including a third base camp and a fourth when Algeria was allegedly considering Lawrence, Kansas, which is close by. On December 11, while Argentina’s delegation was still in town, Pam Kramer, the CEO of the committee, received a call regarding England’s interest. She also agreed to that. A city that never seems to run out of space or will has a telling quality.
Transit lines linking the stadium, airport, and downtown fan festival were supported by Kansas City. Space was rented out by homeowners. Uber hired more drivers. World Cup signage now welcomes visitors to the airport. Even though the long-term return is still unknown, the logistical effort has been significant and quantifiable.
When it comes to setting expectations, Mayor Quinton Lucas has been careful. Earlier this year, he asked CNN, “What does a win for a city mean?” With year-round entertainment economies absorbing the investment, it’s a question worth considering, particularly for a city that knows it can’t just coast on World Cup momentum like Los Angeles or Mexico City can. Kansas City needs to make this matter in a different way.
The city clearly believes in what it’s doing in a way that feels more like a personal endeavor than a marketing campaign. Kramer described it as “a united, collective belief“—in the city’s capacity to perform on a worldwide scale and in the notion that this moment might subtly alter how the rest of the world views a location that the majority of them had never thought to visit. Kansas City won’t know until long after the final whistle whether $650 million buys that kind of shift or just a summer of excellent soccer and lots of barbecue.
