A KC delegation traveled to Argentina with this World Cup message about the city
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- Visit KC promoted Kansas City as a 2026 World Cup host city and base camp locale.
- Officials highlighted FanFest, free bus service, the streetcar and KC’s food scene.
- An estimate said as many as 100,000 Argentina fans could travel to Kansas City.
The River Plate soccer team’s home pitch in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is in a place called Monumental Stadium.
That was an apt setting for a meeting last week with a contingent from Kansas City.
The 2026 World Cup will include six matches in Kansas City, which also is home to base camps for England, the Netherlands, Algeria and Argentina. The last of those is the defending World Cup champion, led by one of the greatest players in the sport’s history: Lionel Messi.
And so Kathy Nelson, president of Visit KC, Jenny Wilson, vice president of Visit KC, Devin Aaron, Visit KC’s director of communications, and Luisa Mendoza traveled to Buenos Aires to talk about what fans in Argentina can expect when they come to Kansas City.
It was the first time Visit KC had traveled to Argentina, which made it a big deal. Nelson said the trip was “incredibly impactful.”
Aaron characterized the trip, which was from Feb. 21 to Feb. 25, as a “media and trade mission.”
“With Kansas City gaining global attention ahead of the World Cup, the Visit KC team has been hard at work to help drive awareness and inspire travel from these important international markets,” Aaron wrote in an email. “Since Kansas City has previously been a bit of an unknown to the Argentinian market, we were really focused on introducing the destination, sharing Kansas City’s World Cup plans as well as educating them on what visitors can do and see in KC during World Cup and beyond.
“While there, we gave numerous individual presentations on the destination as well as hosted a Kansas City immersion day at the iconic Estadio Mâs Monumental for travel agencies, tour operators and companies like Civitatis, a leading online travel agency specializing in curated tours and activities. Lastly, we hosted a presentation for top media in Buenos Aires, with several already producing stories about the city and all there is to do and see here.“
‘Two passionate cultures’
One estimate said as many as 100,000 Argentina fans could travel to Kansas City this summer. Argentina’s first World Cup match will be at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Mendoza, the CEO of Global Tourism & Sports Entertainment, told Ladevi Media in Argentina that she expects visitors from the South American nation will find a kindred spirit among the people in Kansas City.
“It is a true honor to work alongside Visit KC as their representative company in Latin America to bring a little piece of Kansas City to Argentina,” Mendoza told the outlet. “This is much more than a professional collaboration, it is the meeting of two passionate cultures, united by sport, pride and heart.
“Kansas City is a city of champions, where the rhythm of jazz, the flavor of its legendary barbecue and an electrifying sports culture combine in a powerful yet welcoming way. What moves me most is the warmth of its people, a hospitality that embraces you like family. I am filled with pride to build this bridge so that Argentinians can discover, experience and truly fall in love with Kansas City as we approach an unforgettable moment of the World Cup.”
The KC contingent talked about Fan Fest, along with transportation perks like free bus service and the streetcar. And then there’s the food.
Kansas City is known for its barbecue, along with other delicious fares.
“Our message was simple,” Aaron wrote. “Kansas City is a welcoming, affordable and exciting destination, and we hope that the World Cup is just the start (of) more Argentinian travelers coming to Kansas City and experiencing the Heart of America.”
This story was originally published March 2, 2026 at 11:05 AM.
