When it was announced that the 2026 FIFA World Cup was coming to Kansas City, people were thrilled! It was a chance to see the largest sporting event in the world, right in our backyard. For many, it was an “upset” that Kansas City was awarded the right to host games, despite our Soccer Capital of America moniker.
KC is the smallest market that landed games. With about 2.2 million people, KC is 31st in the United States in metro population. Chicago’s 9.4 million metro is the third largest in the country and has no games.
Washington DC’s 6.4 million metro is the next largest unrepresented area, and the first time a nation’s capital isn’t hosting games when the country is hosting the World Cup. Detroit, Seattle, Minneapolis, San Diego, Denver and many other larger cities are left traveling to other cities to watch games…