Former U.S. national player comes to KC’s defense after World Cup criticism
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Former U.S. striker Twellman defends Sporting KC and its Compass Minerals center.
- Argentina and England wanted KC’s Compass Minerals center as training sites.
- Twellman rebukes a critic, defending KC’s fan experience and facilities.
Cincinnati sports fans really don’t like Kansas City, and it’s apparently not limited to the Chiefs-Bengals rivalry.
Apple-TV soccer analyst Taylor Twellman was puzzled by Sporting Kansas City’s absence in an Athletic survey of MLS executives who were asked which club has the best training grounds.
Twellman, the former U.S. national team striker, noted that both Argentina and England wanted to use Sporting Kansas City’s Compass Minerals National Performance Center as their training site for the 2026 World Cup.
That’s a glowing recommendation for Sporting KC’s training grounds.
“And yet @SportingKC facilities were chosen by Argentina and England,” Twellman wrote on X. “The facilities in KC are next level and deserve a mention here if not THE mention.”
A Cincinnati fan took exception to Twellman’s assertion.
“Could it be that they chose it because KC is a host city where they prioritize proximity and not quality?” the fan named CJ South wrote in response. “Columbus and Cincinnati are both on the list but aren’t host cities which is why so few teams have selected either for base camps.”
The Cincy fan then took a shot at Kansas City being home to six World Cup matches, including four knockout games.
“KC also is going to be a piss poor fan experience for almost anyone,” he wrote. “The stadium is surrounded only by a parking lot and Europeans absolutely hate parking lots and poor walk ability.”
Twellman was having none of it and offered a defense of Kansas City.
“When you don’t do research you say things like this,” Twellman wrote. “The fan experience setup in KC may be the best.”
This story was originally published February 27, 2026 at 10:05 AM.
