Kansas City area offers three sites to serve as base camp for teams during 2026 World Cup

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – When the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes to the United States in the summer of 2026, the Kansas City region will host six matches.

In its bid to be a host city, Kansas City beat out several larger metro areas, including Orlando, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

But the actual matches won’t be the only instance of Kansas City playing host.

FIFA announced the City of Fountains is one of four in the United States that will serve as a host city and team base camp. Along with Dallas, Kansas City offers three options for teams to use as a base camp for World Cup teams. Atlanta has offered a pair of locations, and Philadelphia has featured one.

The base camps will serve as hubs from where teams will travel to their first three matches and where players, staff and officials will spend the majority of their time during the group stage, FIFA stated.

Teams will formally submit their desired selection for their base camp location of choice in late 2025.

Other FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver.

ALSO READ: How did Kansas City land the World Cup?

Nine cities outside the Host Cities have also filed to serve as a team base camp, including St. Louis.

The group-stage games to be played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium are scheduled for:

• Tuesday, June 16
• Saturday, June 20
• Thursday, June 25
• Saturday, June 27

The round of 32 is scheduled for Friday, July 3 and Kansas City’s final game, a quarterfinal matchup, will be Saturday, July 11.

“Along with welcoming players and fans to the metropolitan area, we are thrilled that Overland Park will host players and teams during the FIFA World Cup 2026,” said Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog. “We will have a ball showing Overland Park off on an international stage and helping people worldwide learn what a wonderful place Overland Park is to live, work, raise a family, and of course, play soccer.

“As usual, we’ll work closely with the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center, the Overland Park Convention Center and businesses in the city to support their operations during this crucial time. I appreciate the KC2026 team’s work to bring as many visitors and as much business to all of our communities as possible. I look forward to meeting our players, coaches and their fans.”

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