Kansas City
Carlos Moreno / KCUR.org
In Kansas City, the Great Game Lab partnered with local NPR affiliate KCUR to produce a podcast series that explores how KC became a World Cup city. The smallest of the 11 US host cities, this midwestern hub nevertheless calls itself the “soccer capital of America.” Some other cities might differ, but KC has a legitimate claim to the title, given the range of stories our Fellow Suzanne Hogan covers in her series, including the breadth of immigrant and youth participation in the game, Lamar Hunt’s historic role in bridging the two worlds of footballs, KC’s status as the global capital of stadium design, and the city’s unique status in the world of women’s soccer.
Around Kansas City, I’ve discovered people have a mix of feelings around us hosting an event of this scale for the first time. There’s excitement, sure. But also, maybe a little nervousness? Mainly around logistics and how much day-to-day life will likely be affected. But our city has a deep history of showing up hard for soccer. From the immigrants who first fought for the game advocating for fields to play on, to the influx of leagues in recent decades. And we’re proud to be the first city in the world to have a professional soccer stadium built for our women’s team, the Kansas City Current. So I’m hopeful that tackling this latest ‘first’ as a 2026 World Cup host city will be another epic chapter in our greater soccer story.
Suzanne Hogan KC Great Game Fellow; Managing Producer KCUR Studios