Kansas City gets ringing endorsement as World Cup host from national pundit
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- Kay Adams said Kansas City is the best of the 16 host cities.
- Adams described Sporting KC’s $75 million facility as a luxurious base camp.
- Adams noted a $15 tournament shuttle and free airport‑to‑downtown shuttles.
Broadcaster Kay Adams has had a close relationship with the Chiefs, dating back to her days at “Good Morning Football” on the NFL Network.
Chiefs players frequently are guests on her “Up & Adams” show, but she recently offered her thoughts on something other that football: Kansas City as a FIFA 2026 World Cup host city. You may have heard a ranking had Kansas City last among the host cities, but Adams said KC is actually No. 1.
That’s not just in the United States. It goes for the other World Cup host nations, Mexico and Canada.
“There are 16 host cities among the three countries. Of the 16, Kansas City is the best one,” Adams said this week on her show. “The four national teams holding their base camps in KC, Argentina, England, the Netherlands, Algeria, they are already winning. They have a leg up. It is a beautiful sports city. It’s just quaint enough that there’s not huge distractions, no traffic, you can get out and about relatively unnoticed.
“And take a look at these practice facilities. Every time I open up Twitter, there is some new MTV crib style clip showing me the base camps. (Argentina star Lionel) Messi is living like a king, the king he is, at Sporting KC’s $75 million digs. (Teammate) Alexis Mac Allister getting fed grapes and taking DEXA scans daily to optimize performance. This place is sick.”
In addition to the great facilities, like Sporting Kansas City and the Current use, this is an excellent place for celebrities to fly under the radar, Adams said.
Some of the world’s biggest stars live here or visit frequently.
“Kansas City is a perfect city for a World Cup. They know how to handle superstars,” Adams said. “Patrick Mahomes, anyone? Brittany Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift — literally the biggest global superstar. Taylor Swift is relatively untouched when she’s in KC, spends time there, lives there. ... Kansas City is going to have more star power per capita than anywhere else in the world.
“Imagine walking up to Joe’s (Kansas City) one afternoon and seeing (England’s) Harry Kane ordering himself a Z-man. What’s up, Kane? Jude Bellingham? (Holland’s Virgil) Van Dijk throwing pennies into one of the bajillion fountains out there in the Plaza, picking up some knickknacks for the friends back home. (Algeria’s) Riyad Mahrez taking in a Royals day game, trying to score a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts if they get 12 or more hits. Is that still a thing? I think that was the thing in like, 2005.”
Adams knows her KC sports history, as Krispy Kreme did once have a famous donut giveaway.
Paul Rudd and Jason Sudeikis were two other Kansas City stars, Adams mentioned.
And beyond the celebs, she raved about Kansas City’s transportation plan during the World Cup. It was part of a ringing endorsement for the city.
”There is a $15 shuttle to Arrowhead. ... There are free shuttles for the airport to downtown Kansas City. It’s called Connect KC 26,” Adams said. “If you don’t know, that’s the tournament bus service, $15 a pop. You need a match-day ticket. That’s pretty amazing. It’s direct (with) park and ride locations. There’s bike racks available, like that’s the city you want to be in, where you’re not feeling like you’re writing checks, or it’s hard to get there and hard to enjoy what should be the most unifying sports experience in the world.
“So, Kansas City is a sports city, the perfect host city, and I will probably be at more games in Kansas City than any other place across the three countries. That’s my hot take. 16 host cities, Kansas City is by far the best one.”
