In KCK, fans celebrate Mexico win over South Africa from historic Memorial Hall
Team Mexico set the tone for its 2026 World Cup in less than 10 minutes, and a dedicated crowd in Kansas City, Kansas took notice.
A goal by 29-year-old Julian Quinones marked the first in the worldwide sporting event that’s taking the Americas by storm. Thursday was the official start of the tournament, bringing Kansas City visitors and local lovers of the game together at various events held throughout the metro.
Mexico ultimately triumphed 2-0 over South Africa during the match held in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca.
Numerous people gathered in historic Memorial Hall for Visit KCK’s “Kick it in KCK” watch party. Fans of France, Senegal, Argentina, Algeria, Ghana, Panama and more will be able to meet at the downtown KCK hall throughout the coming weeks. Doors open an hour and a half before each match.
Event coordinators, who organized food vendors, music, dancing performances and more, ran into a small hiccup when they struggled to get the match streamed in Spanish. That didn’t keep fans from cheering Quinones on after that first goal, or from singing Mexico’s national anthem.
Yetzí Ybarra of Guadalajara, Mexico, is visiting Kansas City throughout the event. Just as Thursday’s match was getting started, she told The Star that she’s loved Team Mexico for as long as she could remember, and that it’s been nice to see how the city is showing up for the team.
So far, she’s found Kansas City to be a pretty chill and fun area to explore, she said.
“Esta muy bonito, muy tranquilo,” Ybarra said. “Es una ciudad muy tranquila y está muy padre.”
Delilah Martin, a Jackson County resident, crossed the state line to watch her daughter perform a traditional South African dance with the group Art in Motion. The group performed just ahead of the start of the match. Martin’s seventh-grader has been dancing for nearly seven years, she said, adding that she loves that her daughter has the opportunity to have new experiences and meet new people through the group.
She plans to attend more of her daughter’s performances in the coming weeks and might go to the FIFA Fan Fest if weather, and her active young children, permit.
Samantha Ramirez and her family are making their rounds throughout the World Cup. The Wyandotte County resident, who by day works at the local elections office, came out to Memorial Hall to represent and support her family in Mexico, she said.
“It’s just an amazing feeling that Kansas City is being part of the World Cup, and it’s a great way to bring the community together,” Ramirez said, adding she was particularly excited to see goalie Francisco Guillermo Ochoa, known as Memo Ochoa, in action.
Next on her family’s list of to-dos is head to the FIFA Fan Fest to see The Chainsmokers perform this weekend. Then, they’re going to Arrowhead Stadium later in the month to cheer on the Netherlands as they face off against Tunisia
“The price is always going to be high but it’s definitely worth it,” Ramirez said.
Nicole Watson isn’t the biggest soccer fan, she admitted. But, she came out to Memorial Hall on Thursday just to enjoy the cultures and uplifting atmosphere surrounding the World Cup. It was, at the very least, an opportunity for her to connect with the community and participate in a local event, she said.
Watson’s still figuring out what else she wants to get up to during the tournament, but she plans to go out in the city at least once or twice. She’s also excited to see other dance groups bring their creativity and energy out on the floor.
As a widely diverse county with residents from across the world, officials in Wyandotte County have said they’re excited to celebrate the sporting event and their community’s many cultures. Wyandotte has a population with at least 18% of its residents being born in another country, according to census data.
Team Argentina, led by icon Lionel Messi, has selected Sporting KC’s Compass Minerals facility to prepare for its match against Algeria on Tuesday at Arrowhead Stadium. The match will mark the first of six matches being held in Kansas City.
Members of the public, besides credentialed media, are not invited to attend those practices, according to the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.
