Here’s how Kansas lawmakers plan to loosen liquor laws during the World Cup
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Bill lets liquor stores and drinking establishments operate 23 hours if locales opt in
- Between May 15 and July 2025, short‑term rental applications auto‑approve after 15 days
- Lawmakers worry extended hours could increase drunk‑driving risks despite transit plans
With the approval of local officials, Kansas liquor stores and drinking establishments would be allowed to operate 23 hours a day, seven days a week during World Cup festivities this summer under a bill the Legislature sent Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday.
Between June 11 and July 19, alcohol sales would only be prohibited in the hour between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. Missouri lawmakers adopted a 23-hour-a-day World Cup liquor sales policy last year.
“The Kansas City area, this is really an opportunity for our small businesses to have a level playing field with the lesser state to the east of us,” said Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Democrat, before the House voted 86-39 on Thursday morning to loosen the restrictions.
The Senate approved the bill 23-17 on Wednesday. If signed into law, the legislation would also temporarily lift any local restrictions on the number of short-term rental properties that could be operated in any given neighborhood.
Between May 15 and July 2025, short-term rental applications that municipalities failed to respond to within 15 days would automatically be approved.
“This is the small businesses. These are the people that live in Wyandotte County that can rent their house out for ($1,500) a week for a month and a half,” said Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican.
Kansas City will play host to four group-stage World Cup matches in June and two knockout-round matches in July. All six matches will be held at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri, but two national teams will make their base camps in Kansas — Algeria at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, and Argentina at the Sporting KC Training Centre in KCK.
Loosened liquor restrictions
Unlike the Missouri law, which requires local governments to opt out of the loosened liquor restrictions, the Kansas version would only apply to cities and counties that choose to participate. Local governments could opt in by passing an ordinance or resolution.
That change didn’t quell the concerns of some lawmakers in both parties, who questioned the wisdom of extending the hours for liquor sales on the grounds that doing so could increase the risk of drunk driving incidents.
“I don’t want to wake up during the FIFA World Cup and hear about some child’s parent being killed in a car wreck on their way to work from somebody leaving a bar at 5 a.m.,” said Sen. Doug Shane, a Louisburg Republican, when the first version of the bill came to the floor last week.
Supporters of the bill pointed out that many of the 650,000 visitors the World Cup is expected to bring to the Kansas City area won’t have driver’s licenses because they aren’t U.S. residents.
“Our local governments, particularly in Johnson County, have put forth a massive transportation plan, including a free busing system that is basically a loop, that will make it less likely for people who are in a state of intoxication to be driving,” Clayton said.
With some variation on Sundays, Kansas liquor stories are currently allowed to operate between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. Restaurants and bars are authorized to serve alcohol between 6 a.m. and 2 a.m.
This story was originally published March 26, 2026 at 2:55 PM.
