KC’s a ‘super special’ soccer city. What hosting World Cup means to our pro players
As Kansas City prepares to welcome the world for the FIFA World Cup, even the Kansas City Current’s rookie players are feeling the excitement for soccer building in the metro.
Sports culture is part of Kansas City’s identity — so much so that the Sports Business Journal ranked Kansas City No. 9 for best overall sports city in the United States. Three Super Bowl victories and a World Series win in the last decade are claims not many cities can make.
The arrival of international soccer adds another chapter to our city’s sports history that has been years in the making.
For the Current’s rookies, it’s a chance to showcase Kansas City on a global stage while introducing casual fans to the popularity of the game.
“Honestly, I think it’s just super special to live in a city where soccer is so rooted in the culture of the fans,” Kolo Suliafu, rookie defender, said.
“It’ll be really cool to see how the community comes together to watch soccer and support soccer.”
The KC Current helped put Kansas City on the world’s radar by building CPKC Stadium, the first stadium in the world built for a professional women’s sports team. It is one of four sites in the metro serving as a base camp and training facility for World Cup teams:
- Netherlands is based at the KC Current training facility in Riverside;
- Argentina will train at the Sporting KC training center in Kansas City, Kansas;
- Algeria will train at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence; and
- England will stay in Prairie Village and train at the Swope Soccer Village.
The World Cup presents an opportunity for casual sports and soccer fans alike to learn more about the global game, traditions and culture. We asked the KC Current rookies to share what they’re excited to see as the world’s biggest sporting event arrives.
Who are the rookies rooting for?
Kansas City is a melting pot and who locals are rooting for shows that. Many are throwing support behind Team USA, but there’s vocal support for global teams like we heard from members of Sporting KC and the KC Current.
“(I’m rooting for) USA,” Current rookie defender Laney Rouse said. “If not the U.S., then France, I think they’re really fun to watch.”
French footballer Kylian Mbappé, while not playing in Kansas City, is someone multiple KC Current rookies told us they are watching during this World Cup.
Current players also recommended keeping an eye on the Brazilian national team. While Brazil will not play in KC during the two-month tournament, they are one of the powerhouse teams in the sport. You’ll know them by their bright yellow jerseys and their iconic on-field celebrations.
Cellys so popular in fact, during our interview the KC Current rookies had to demonstrate for us.
Lionel Messi and Argentina, the defending World Cup champions, are one of Kansas City’s four base camp teams. They will practice at Sporting KC’s facilities and will play at least one match at Kansas City Stadium.
To say Kansas City is excited for Messi to be in town is an understatement.
Meanwhile, Current players will have their own special connection to Virgil van Dijk and the Dutch national team.
“They are training in our facility, so I’m really excited to watch (Virgil van Dijk) play.” Rouse told The Star.
The World Cup is a global Super Bowl
Kansas Citians are very familiar with the rules and pace of American football, basketball and baseball as the primary sports played in the U.S. But on the global stage, soccer, known as the “beautiful game,” dominates.
“Soccer gets a lot of flack for being a bit of a slower sport,” rookie forward Gianna Paul said.
“Soccer goals are a lot harder to come by, but I think because of that it’s a lot more beautiful and there’s different aspects of the game to pay attention to. Whether that’s the assists, the defending, the goalkeeping — there’s just a lot more to soccer than like goals.”
Instead of focusing only on scoring, players say the sport rewards fans who pay attention to everything happening in between goals — the build up, passing, defending, goalkeeper play and tactical movement. And even the off field traditions for fans like wearing team branded scarves.
Another player pointed to the sport’s global culture as part of its appeal.
“I feel like depending on where you are, you get a whole different culture,” rookie forward Amelia White said. “It’s just cool to see and play against different teams that have such a different playing style.”
“Soccer is kind of this universal language,” Paul added.
That cultural crossover is part of what makes the World Cup one of the most watched sporting events in the world. Even though the rookies are new to the area, they already recognize what the moment means for the city.
“It’ll be so cool to see how the community comes together to watch soccer and support soccer. I feel like it’s not a big thing in the U.S., so it’ll be really cool to see how we celebrate,” Rouse said.
The World Cup gives Kansas City a chance to show international fans what locals already know: that this is a serious sports city. The Current have also helped fuel that momentum in women’s soccer including claiming the 2025 NWSL Shield, awarded to the team with the best regular season record.
For the Current’s rookies, the World Cup is bigger than soccer and goals and trophies. It’s a chance for cultures to come together and for Kansas City fans to experience the global appeal of the sport.
.jpeg)