On Wednesday, the English soccer federation confirmed one of the most exciting recent surprises in Kansas City sports news: The England national team will join Argentina in making the city its base camp for the 2026 World Cup.
Well, to call it a surprise might be a stretch.
At soccer fields, community events and sports bars around KC, I heard whispers of this going back to 2025. In fact, the rumors have been so long-standing that I was beginning to worry…