World Cup begins in Kansas City with Fan Fest, watch parties, game info: Live updates
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas City’s Fan Fest opens Thursday at the National WWI Museum and Memorial.
- The tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa begins at 2 p.m.
- Fan Fest is free with required registration and is capped at 25,000 attendees.
After years of anticipation and organization, the FIFA 2026 World Cup gets underway and while no matches will be played in Kansas City on Thursday area residents and visitors will be able to join the party.
What is happening today
Kansas City Fan Fest opens
Kansas City’s Fan Fest will open for the first time at 1 p.m. Thursday at the National World War I Museum and Memorial, featuring live music, soccer activities and a lineup of local food vendors. This will be the first of the 18-day celebration that runs through July 11. Learn more about Fan Fest.
Match to watch: Mexico vs. South Africa
The tournament opener will be a match between co-host Mexico and South Africa beginning at 2 p.m. More about the match and how Kansas City is watching.
We’ll be updating this story throughout the day and evening with coverage from across the metro. Check back to see how Kansas City is celebrating.
How to watch Mexico vs. South Africa
Looking for way to catch the World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa in Kansas City? The match will be carried live at 2 p.m. on Fox 4.
All 104 matches will be on televised this summer, airing across the FOX Network, FOX Sports 1, Telemundo and Universo.
What to know about Kansas City Fan Fest
While Kansas City’s Fan Fest is free for general admission, festival-goers need to register ahead of time through the KC World Cup website. The festival is capped at 25,000 attendees at a time, so people are encouraged to register early for the dates they want to attend. For a guaranteed spot, premium passes are available.
The musical duo Sin Tope is scheduled to perform between 1 and 2 p.m. Following the match, the band Making Movies is scheduled to perform from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
See Everything to know about going to Kansas City’s free Fan Festival for the World Cup
Today’s match: Mexico vs. South Africa
The tournament opener will be a match between co-host Mexico and South Africa beginning at 2 p.m. at the world-famous Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, one of 16 venues being used to stage the 104 matches that will take place this summer. This is a rematch of the opener for the 2010 World Cup opener that ended in a 1-1 draw.
South Korea will take on Czechia in the second match of the day at 9 p.m. at the Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Mexico.
This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 10:33 AM.
