KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri and Kansas leaders have made a financial commitment in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Some of those games will be played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
“I’ve got it on pretty good authority. You’re in really good shape for that for us to present you $50 million to help with the World Cup,” Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Thursday.
Parson was referring to the budget he’ll sign that will award that amount to the Kansas City Chiefs’ landlord, the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority. Most of that will be used to modify the stadium, according to Kansas City Sports Commission President Kathy Nelson.
“We believe it won’t be any more than $50 million to modify Arrowhead, and that includes everything in that,” Nelson told reporters Thursday.
Mayor Quinton Lucas also announced a request for proposals, or RFP, for the city to try to increase transportation from Kansas City International Airport to downtown and the stadiums. The mayor said they’re thinking about just about everything.
“There is already an east-west streetcar study, as you might have heard about, from the 39th Street corridor largely at the state line out to the Arrowhead Stadium area,” Lucas said.
“We’re also looking at enhanced, fast bus, rapid transit particularly with that airport to downtown link.”
How much would that cost? The mayor wouldn’t say.
Lucas also announced a Mayor’s Commission for New Americans, saying it’s not enough to just say that all are welcome before hosting some of the World Cup games.
“It’s also ensuring that we’re actually welcoming people with our resources, with our connections because what we can’t just say is, ‘Come to Kansas City. We don’t have different languages spoken. We don’t have ways for people to get around,’” Lucas continued. “This is us, I think, taking a key step to building that.”
Kansas state leaders have also pledged $10 million to renovations at Children’s Mercy Park in preparation for World Cup teams practicing at that location across state line.