Here’s how you’ll get to soccer events in Kansas City at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- KC2026 released ConnectKC26 plan linking 15 regional sites to downtown.
- Region Direct, Airport Direct and Stadium Direct will run frequent buses for fans.
- KC contracted 215 motorcoach buses; services run every 15 to 20 minutes, fares pending.
Kansas City won’t know who’s playing FIFA World Cup games here until Saturday. But it knows how those fans and locals will get around.
KC2026 unveiled its transportation plan — ConnectKC26 — on Tuesday at Lenexa City Hall. Why there? The site, part of Lenexa City Center, will be one of 15 direct destinations connected to downtown for the festivities next June and July.
It’s part of the Region Direct service, which along with Airport Direct and Stadium Direct make up the plan FIFA described as on the “forefront” of transportation planning among the 16 North American host cities.
“Kansas City may be one of the smaller host cities, but I can tell you Kansas City is absolutely a leader in the FIFA World Cup transportation planning,” said Tania Mahan, FIFA senior transport integration manager.
The service will run from June 11 until July 13. The Region Direct service will funnel fans from Liberty, Lawrence, Lee’s Summit, The Legends in KCK and other points in the Metro to the Fan Fest at the National WWI Museum and Memorial, which will have a capacity of 25,000.
Region Direct buses will run every 20 minutes.
Airport Direct will provide transportation downtown and run every 15 minutes.
Stadium Direct will operate on match days and will provide park-and-ride bus service for ticket holders from four Metro locations: Independence Center, North Kansas City, Oak Park Mall and Highway 40 at Stadium Drive.
Fans will be encouraged to ride the bus to matches. Some 4,000 of the 20,000 parking spots at the Truman Sports Complex will be available to general ticket holders.
Kansas City will learn Saturday which countries will play at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium — known as Kansas City Stadium for the World Cup — for group-stage games on June 16, 20, 25 and 27.
After that round, Kansas City will have two more games: a Round of 32 contest on July 3 and a quarterfinal on July 11.
The region also is expecting nations to use two sites in Kansas City and one in Lawrence as base camps, where teams train and prepare for matches. Fans of those teams, sometimes by the thousands, also use base camps as headquarters.
Kansas City has contracted 215 motorcoach buses that seat around 53 people for the event.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said ConnectKC26 isn’t expected to supplement existing services such as the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and the KC Streetcar.
A fare will be charged for the bus rides, but the cost hasn’t been determined.
KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer said the transit plan isn’t just for soccer fans, and it could spark a desire for the region to maintain a larger public transportation system.
“This is a great opportunity for us to introduce transit to people who may not have used it before,” Kramer said. “We did some research prior to starting this effort and people said they would be willing to try transit, in particular to get to entertainment if it’s convenient.
“We’ve kept that in mind. We want locals to stay here. They will make the experience authentically Kansas City, and we want them to embrace this as a “stay-cation,” to use the system to get around and enjoy all that we have.”