Netherlands coach shares what he likes about KC being World Cup base camp
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Koeman backed Kansas City after inspecting facilities and location.
- Federation evaluated climate, field quality and travel distances for camp.
- Kansas City offers pro training environment and will host their final group match.
When the Netherlands men’s soccer team arrives in Kansas City later this year to train for the World Cup at its base camp, it won’t be coach Ronald Koeman’s first time here.
Koeman previously toured the Kansas City Current’s practice facility while deciding where the team should make its camp. Koeman visited other sites, but he found Kansas City to be a slam-dunk choice for “The Orange,” the nickname of Holland’s team.
“When choosing our base camp, we first considered the most favorable climate in the region where we’re playing,” Koeman said in a story on the national team’s website. “We also considered other sporting conditions that are important for good training and accommodation: the quality of the fields and facilities, the location, and the travel distances.
“I’ve visited the site myself, and for the region where we’ll be playing during the group stage, Kansas City is the best choice. The location is also favorable. All of this contributes to us being able to fully focus on football.”
Marianne van Leeuwen, the soccer director for the Netherlands, said Kansas City checked every box that Holland had ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Although Holland’s national team, which is ranked No. 7 in the world, didn’t know it when visiting KC, there is an added bonus of having the team’s final group-stage match at Arrowhead Stadium.
“For every final tournament, we strive to facilitate the team in every possible way, including the base camp,” van Leeuwen said in that story. ”This requires a careful process, during which we evaluated several locations based on sporting, logistical, and organizational criteria.
“The choice of the base camp in Kansas City aligns with this goal: a professionally equipped environment that allows the team to prepare for the matches as optimally as possible. It’s also wonderful that we’ll be playing our final group match in Kansas City and can conclude the group stage there with our Dutch fans.”
That story on the Netherlands’ site spoke glowingly of Kansas City and its sports culture.
This is what was written: “Kansas City, located in the heart of the United States, straddles the state line between Kansas and Missouri. The city is alive with sports, from American football to basketball, and soccer is also rapidly gaining popularity. Both the men’s and women’s professional soccer teams in Kansas City play a significant role in this, contributing to the region’s growing soccer scene.”
This story was originally published February 13, 2026 at 9:01 AM.
