The good, bad and ugly from the first-ever World Cup game played in Kansas City
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas City hosted a World Cup men's game at Arrowhead Stadium.
- Lionel Messi scored a World Cup hat trick and Argentina beat Algeria 3-0.
- Traffic around the Truman Sports Complex was described as untenable with long delays.
It’s official. Kansas City has joined the shortlist of cities on planet Earth that have played host to a World Cup men’s soccer game.
The World Cup has only been played in 19 nations, and matches have been held in a little more than 100 different cities.
That’s certainly a feather in Kansas City’s cap, but it wasn’t all positive news Tuesday. Here is a look at the good, bad and ugly as Argentina beat Algeria at Kansas City (Arrowhead) Stadium:
The Good
Let’s be honest, there was a lot of good.
For starters, it was a historic night for Lionel Messi, who had his best game ever at a World Cup, netting a hat trick.
That thrilled the sold-out crowd (no worries about empty seats at this match). Well, most of them were happy. There were a number of Algeria fans at the match, too, and they couldn’t have liked the outcome. But it created a great atmosphere around Arrowhead.
The Argentinian fans, nearly all wearing Messi’s No. 10, were singing and dancing before and after the game, with a hundred or so still partying behind one of the goals more than a half-hour after Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria.
The FIFA Fan Fest was full of Argentina fans, too, as was the Power & Light District. And other spots. It was a fun, festive evening around Kansas City when it came to soccer.
Kansas City is in America’s heartland, but it was an international hot spot Tuesday. And that, frankly, was wonderful to witness.
The Bad
Not that fans seemed to miss it, but there was no tailgating before the match. It’s one of the things we’ve come to expect at a game at Arrowhead Stadium, and it was missing.
As many have noted, there aren’t many restaurants around the Truman Sports Complex, and food inside the stadium is expensive. That could explain why the Taco Bell on Blue Ridge Cutoff was packed with Argentina fans after the game. That was a funny sight.
The Ugly
The traffic situation was untenable and must be fixed.
An Israeli journalist told me that he instructed the driver of his ride-share car to pull over while stuck in traffic. From there, he walked 40 minutes to get to the stadium. There were many other such stories on Tuesday, as traffic was a major issue.
The next match here in KC is Saturday evening, when Ecuador takes on Curacao. Can improvements to the transportation setup be made by then?
This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 10:55 AM.
