FIFA officials this week visited KC, which still awaits key details of 2026 World Cup
There are some unusual aspects to the 2026 World Cup, starting with the host format.
For the first time in World Cup history, games will be played in three nations: the United States, Mexico and Canada. It’s also going to be the biggest World Cup ever.
Another uncommon feature: Only one detail of the schedule has been publicized, even though the tournament is beginning in less than three years.
The final will be held July 19, 2026, but it has not been revealed where. It is believed New York or Arlington, Texas, will play host to the championship game. The lack of specifics for the tournament has left host cities with an uneasy feeling.
A story earlier this month in the New York Times had this headline: “FIFA delays have cities worried about 2026 World Cup plans.”
“(A)s teams begin their campaigns to qualify for the tournament, cities across the United States are growing frustrated with the tortured pace of FIFA’s preparations and communications and a lack of clarity about their roles in what will be the biggest, and richest, sporting event ever staged on American soil,” wrote the Times’ Tariq Panja.
“Cities and stadiums still do not know, for example, how many matches they will host, or on which dates. Opaque rules about sponsorships have left local governments unable to secure deals to cover the millions of dollars of public money they have committed to spend. And delays in hiring could leave FIFA without the kind of seasoned operations, marketing and hospitality professionals required to put on its showpiece tournament.”
It’s particularly bad in Los Angeles.
The Athletic reported that Kroenke Sports & Entertainment is unhappy with how revenue will be shared among FIFA, the cities and the stadiums. That story noted KSE is threatening to no longer have games played at SoFi Stadium.
FIFA visit to KC
Kansas City is one of 11 host cities in the United States and doesn’t know how many games will be played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. But answers could be coming soon.
KC2026, which is tasked with making preparations for the World Cup, announced it recently welcomed more than 30 FIFA officials and World Cup organizational experts.
They were at Sunday’s Chiefs-Bears game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, where they saw “an example of the energy, excitement and passion fans bring to the beloved NFL venue, as well as giving them a chance to see some of the venue’s operational services and facilities in action on a match day,” KC2026 said in a news release.
The delegation on Monday checked on training sites that will be used by national teams during the World Cup (Children’s Mercy Park and the KC Current’s new stadium, which is set to open in spring 2024).
They also met with Kansas City’s Transportation Authority, Police Department and Aviation Department, the Streetcar Authority and the Department of Homeland Security.
FIFA officials are visiting all 16 host cities, including three in Mexico and two in Canada. The World Cup is expanding from 32 teams to 48 in 2026 and there will be 104 matches.
Once those inspections are concluded, it is expected FIFA will release the full 2026 World Cup schedule, likely before December. At that point, Kansas City will know how many games will be held at Arrowhead.
“It was great to be with the various delivery teams in Kansas City to see how their operational plans have been developing, and meet with our key counterparts across a range of functions as we all work together to deliver the biggest FIFA World Cup ever in under three years’ time,” Claudio Cailá-Müller, Executive Director for Operations of the 2026 World Cup, said in a news release.
“We’d like to thank the entire Kansas City team for their dedication and enthusiasm to the project, as well as the amazing experience we all had at the Kansas City Chiefs game. It’s a fantastic sporting venue that we know is going to offer fans something special during the FIFA World Cup in 2026.”
This story was originally published September 27, 2023 at 9:23 AM.
