Inside a century-old KC flag shop gearing up for a World Cup business boom
As Kansas City gets ready to welcome thousands of soccer fans from around the world for the World Cup, excitement is mounting at All Nations Flag Co, a local flag manufacturer that’s been a KC institution for over a century.
“It’s really cool to see everyone get so excited about Kansas City getting something so big and to have it here in our own backyard — to kind of show the world what we’re about and share that Midwestern hospitality,” said Sean Wald, who runs the fourth-generation family business with his brother Ryan Wald, and their father, Greg Wald, who is semi-retired.
All Nations Flag Co. was started in Kansas City in 1924 by Wald’s great-grandfather, T. George Wald. Since the late 1960s, the business has been located in a 1900s-era building in the River Market at 118 W. 5th St.
This year marks the company’s 102nd year in business, Wald said.
Wald says the World Cup offers a rare chance for Kansas City to put its best foot forward, offering visitors a true taste of the city’s welcoming spirit. And for the flag company, it’s a unique chance to sell their handcrafted products to visitors and residents alike. Flags have long been an integral part of soccer fandom worldwide, waved in supporter’s sections to show passion and pride.
At All Nations Flag Co., that Kansas City hospitality is woven into every product.
How the flags get made
The team creates custom flags made to exact specifications, using precise Pantone colors and referencing an international database of official flag designs to ensure authenticity for every nation represented.
“Most nations have some color specifications,” explains Randy Carney, a longtime employee who began as a temporary worker 41 years ago and now manages the customs department.
“The Pantone Matching System or PMS colors are most common in the U.S. print industry, and not every country has specific PMS colors. So we have to discern what information we can and from what specs are available, and we try to match as closely as possible.”
Carney’s expertise extends beyond custom orders — he’s often found installing flagpoles in the community or repairing vintage sewing machines in the shop, too.
On a recent rainy morning, Carney was plotting a custom 4-by-6-foot flag for Curaçao, the smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup. Curaçao will play in KC against Ecuador in a group-stage match on June 20.
“The flag of Curaçao is one that’s not readily available through the major manufacturers, so that’s one that we’re going to have to make in-house,” he said. “It’s a relatively simple design, so we can maintain a more affordable cost than some of the more complex designs.”
After plotting and printing the template, Carney moved upstairs, carefully selected Pantone 280 C (vibrant blue) and Pantone 102 C (bold yellow), and measured and cut the fabric by hand. He then meticulously traced two stars on white fabric and pinned them to the blue background.
With the fabric pieces prepared, Carney handed them off to seamstress Phuong-Thu Nguyen, 78, a native of Vietnam who has been sewing flags at All Nations for over 40 years.
At her station, Nguyen skillfully works with a double-needled 1950s Singer sewing machine, guiding the blue and yellow fabric with practiced precision. She then switches to a zig-zag machine to deftly stitch around the white stars, completing the intricate detail work in just a few minutes. After securing the stars, Nguyen carefully trims away the excess white fabric from around their edges, ensuring a crisp finish.
She smiled as she held up the nearly finished flag, which nearly dwarfed her petite frame. Nguyen would add a header and grommets to complete the flag.
“It is a really nice place,” she said of the All Nations Flag Co. team.
The company prides itself on being a one-stop shop for flags of all kinds.
“We do a little bit of everything when it comes to flags. If there’s a flag for it, we generally stock it,” Wald explains. “And if we don’t have something, we can certainly bring it in or make it here.” The company is committed to high-quality flags, with most made in the United States.
‘Ramping up’ for the World Cup
With Kansas City set to host six FIFA World Cup matches from June 16 to July 11, All Nations Flag Co. is gearing up to meet increased demand. They’re stocking flags for all participating countries, with a special focus on the seven nations set to play in Kansas City in group-stage matches.
“We’re already ramping up now and we’re going to have FIFA World Cup Kansas City-specific flags,” said Wald. These FIFA World Cup-branded KC flags will be brought in from a licensed vendor and not made in-house. They will also carry FIFA licensed flags and international decals.
“The only things we will be producing in-house will be the international flags,” said Wald.
An “Avenue of Flags” featuring 18 banners from All Nations Flag Co. will soon be displayed at each business in the Crestwood Shops, 337 E. 55th St., to support all the countries participating in or potentially coming to Kansas City for the World Cup and playoffs.
The district’s small businesses are eager to welcome fans and create a festive atmosphere, with merchants already choosing their favorite nations’ flags to display, explained Cindy Barnhill, president of the Crestwood Merchants Association and owner of Pear Tree Design and Antiques.
Barnhill said she hopes the celebration will draw World Cup visitors to this historic part of the city— even if the players themselves don’t make it by.
“Oh, I think it’s fantastic to have all these countries, you know, coming to our city and representing their country and, you know, I hope that everyone will open their doors and their hearts and welcome all the fans.”
Flags from All Nations Co. will be available in various sizes, from 4-by-6-inch tabletop versions to display flags measuring 2-by-3, 3-by-5, and 4-by-6 feet.
“We want a lot of different price points because we’re going to have a lot of people here, and we want to be able to offer something for everybody,” Wald explains.
Customers can shop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday in the River Market store or online anytime.
Interest is already surging among local businesses and residents seeking flags representing the seven World Cup nations scheduled to play in Kansas City, Wald said.
“We’ve had both people who have Airbnb’s who already have their property reserved, and a couple of restaurants and bars purchase flags to display during the World Cup,” he said.
All Nations Flag Co. is also selling a special Kansas City set, which includes one flag for each country playing here in the group stage — Argentina, Algeria, Ecuador, Curacao, Tunisia, Netherlands, and Austria — with each flag measuring four-by-six feet. The complete set sells for $571.
Wald encouraged fans not to wait to get the flags they want.
“We’ve already started production… It’s never a bad idea to start now. Even if you want to reserve something, put your name down and get on the list.”
This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 12:09 PM.
