Algeria connection, Netherlands flair & England in town: World Cup has arrived in KC

There are going to be a lot of surreal moments surrounding the World Cup in Kansas City, as much for the diehards and casuals in their soccer fandom as for the locals and visitors.

For weeks in the buildup, outside voices have tried to tell the rest of the world that you’d never know the World Cup was coming to the United States, based on their experiences. Often, they reside in cities that will play no part in hosting.

For the last week in Kansas City, the World Cup has been inescapable. Last Tuesday, I found myself driving down Mur-Len Rd. in Olathe. It’s the route I needed to take anyway, but a friend had tipped me off to a gathering of Algerian fans at a business called Kanza Mediterranean Market.

Upon arrival, the parking lot was full, as were the parking lots of any surrounding businesses. The group had been going for at least a few hours, and at least 100 people from multiple generations of the Algerian diaspora in Kansas City were there. They danced, sang and even gave interviews to Algerian and local TV.

While the green-and-cream-colored Algerian jerseys were ever-present, a green-and-yellow jersey was easily the third most popular. That jersey, according to a man wearing it, belongs to the most successful team in Algeria: JS Kabylie.

The gathering was a week out from any game being played in Kansas City, but still a sight to see.

The next day, the Netherlands’ community session took the stage. While it was a light practice session, the quality of the Dutch players was on display.

Crysencio Summerville’s bicycle kick to win a point playing footvolley was the highlight of the soccer action. A journalist from Dutch outlet NU.nl made sure to give Americans the correct name for the game, as many of us call it something different, such as soccer tennis.

The next day was the magical community session for Algeria, with thousands filling Rock Chalk Park to catch a glimpse of their heroes. It was the most community-focused session among the four teams based in the area. The training session was similar to that of the Dutch, consisting of a crossbar challenge and more footvolley.

A clinic after the session featured former Premier League stars like Riyad Mahrez, Nabil Bentaleb and Rayan Ait-Nouri all kicking soccer balls around with children for nearly another hour. Players would take turns playing with kids, signing autographs and taking selfies with their parents along the fence line.

In the parking lot, an Algerian fan approached us, seeing our credentials. He unfurled his scarf to show us every single autograph, then whipped out his phone to show us every selfie he took with a player. He was nearly in tears the entire time, as what that day meant to him had finally set in.

Fan Fest for the U.S. Men’s National Team’s 4-1 victory was a wild celebration. Tech N9ne kept the party going well after the USMNT had dispatched Paraguay. The evening was smooth sailing, as was the Americans’ performance. Fans celebrated in disbelief at the final goal as fireworks over the National WWI Museum and Memorial lit up the night sky.

That USMNT performance, by the way, drew 15.9 million viewers of the Fox broadcast. That doesn’t include watch parties, either. The largest market share of that broadcast?

Kansas City, at 9.2.

Then on Saturday, England finally came to town. Awaiting the Three Lions were 150 media members from local and international outlets. So was Andrew Forester, along with a group of friends and coworkers, who arrived at Swope Soccer Village with printed copies of the Declaration of Independence.

After England completed its session in sweltering heat, Forester and his friends sat there and had several members of the English National Team sign the Declaration of Independence. The gimmick worked.

Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Jordan Henderson, Anthony Gordon and more fell victim to the prank. Forester said Henderson realized what it was and got a kick out of it.

“It kind of looks confusing,” Forester recalled Henderson’s response. “He looked at it — laughed really hard. A couple did realize and were super good sports about it. … we’re not trying to embarrass people.”

There will be more lighthearted moments like that throughout this World Cup. Forester wouldn’t say he’s a die-hard soccer fan. He doesn’t really watch MLS or even the Premier League. But he knew the opportunity to experience the World Cup in Kansas City was too good to pass up.

“It’s all about people from all around the world coming together to enjoy sports together,” Forester said. “It’s a really good time for America hosting, and putting a really good foot forward. And people are really enjoying it.”

And it’s just getting started.

Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.

This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 1:38 PM.