READY FOR THE RUSH: A WORLD-CLASS GUIDE FOR LOCAL BUSINESS PREP . The ultimate assist for maximizing business impact as we welcome the world this summer.
650,000+ VISITORS ARE EXPECTED TO VISIT THE KC REGION OVER THE COURSE OF THE TOURNAMENT. * WHAT SHOULD KC BUSINESSES EXPECT? • Increased traffic in and around game days
• Visitors seeking out authentic KC experiences/products • Rise in market demand for products and/or services
INDUSTRIES MOST LIKELY TO SEE AN INCREASE FROM VISITOR ACTIVITY INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: • Dining & Nightlife • Tourism & Experiences • Lodging & Transportation • Entertainment & Attractions • Personal Services • Retail & Local Goods
Source: VisitKC, “estimates 650,000 unique visits based on total visitor days “during the duration of the event in the KC area. Visitor Day” defined as one visitor spending one day (day/overnight) in the destination.
THIS YEAR’S INTERNATIONAL SOCCER CUP WILL BE THE LARGEST SPORTING EVENT IN HISTORY. TOURNAMENT FORMAT: In the Group Stage, teams will be divided into 12 groups of four teams each, with each team playing three matches, one each against the other teams in their group. The top two teams from each group will automatically advance to the knockout stage, along with the eight best third-place teams, creating the Round of 32. From there, it is a single-elimination format through the Round of 16, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, and the Final. Teams that reach the Final will play a total of eight matches. SIXTEEN CITIES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA ARE DESIGNATED HOST CITIES: CANADA Toronto Vancouver MEXICO Monterrey
KANSAS CITY SCHEDULE GROUP STAGE
ROUND OF 32
Guadalajara Mexico City
QUARTERFINAL
UNITED STATES Atlanta Boston Dallas Houston
Miami NY/NJ Philadelphia
San Francisco Seattle
Kansas City Los Angeles
TEAM BASE CAMPS. The Kansas City region has been selected to host four national teams as official Team Base Camps. These training facilities offer accommodations and operational support for the teams to prepare throughout the tournament in a consistent and familiar environment.
ARGENTINA | SPORTING KC PERFORMANCE CENTER - KANSAS CITY, KS
ENGLAND | KC SWOPE SOCCER VILLAGE - KANSAS CITY, MO
NETHERLANDS | KC CURRENT TRAINING CENTER - KANSAS CITY, MO
ALGERIA | UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS - LAWRENCE, KS
CONNECTKC26 IS THE OFFICIAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICE FOR THE TOURNAMENT IN KANSAS CITY, OFFERING THREE TYPES OF SERVICES:
AIRPORT DIRECT takes you between
Kansas City International Airport (MCI) and downtown Kansas City, MO, in teal on the map.
REGION DIRECT sites are chosen for proximity to local transit connections, in red on the map STADIUM DIRECT park-and-ride locations will include areas with rideshare access for added flexibility, in navy on the map.
Source: https://kansascityfwc26.com/moving-around-kc
ANTICIPATED HIGH-TRAFFIC AREAS. FIFA FAN FESTIVAL™ AT THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR I MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL The National WWI Museum and Memorial will host the official fan festival spanning 18 days in June and July. The festival will be a free event for fans to experience the vibrant cultures, talented artists and diverse cuisines of the Kansas City region. Capacity for this event will be 25,000 at a time and will be open on Kansas City match days and Team USA match days. For specific details regarding this event, please visit the official KCFWC website.* KANSAS CITY STADIUM (AKA ARROWHEAD STADIUM) DOWNTOWN (KCP&L) DISTRICT RIVER MARKET & NORTH KC NATIONAL TEAMS COMPETING IN KANSAS CITY WILL USE CPKC STADIUM (KC CURRENT) AND SPORTING PARK (SPORTING KC) TO TRAIN AND PREPARE THE DAY BEFORE THEIR MATCH AT KANSAS CITY STADIUM. This is in addition to Team Base Camp use, including Rock Chalk Park (Lawrence, KS), Compass Minerals Training Center (Kansas City, KS), KC Swope Soccer Village (Kansas City, MO) and KC Current Training Facility (Riverside, MO).
COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA VILLAGE WEST/LEGENDS MCI AIRPORT
* Source: https://kansascityfwc26.com/fan-fest
SCOUTING REPORT: TOURNAMENT READINESS INDEX. IDENTIFYING THE GAP IS THE FIRST STEP. IF YOU’VE CHECKED ONE OR MORE BELOW, LET’S CONNECT. Are you located near high-traffic areas, tourist sights or fan zones (i.e. entertainment districts, stadiums, hotels, shopping centers or major attractions)? Is your business and/or community planning on organizing any tournament events that could use your services or products? If you’re not near a potential high-traffic tourist area, could you work with other businesses to create something unique that could draw customers in? Are you able to scale up operations or adapt as needed (i.e. expanding/changing hours, upping inventory, adding POS systems, increasing staffing)? Could your business or staff benefit from fraud prevention services and/or education in preparation for the tournament? Do you offer a distinct product, service, needs-based visitor service, cultural/KC-specific experience, or local goods? Would your POS system be unable to handle an influx or uptick of use should tournament traffic significantly increase your standard business? Is your POS system ready with the latest software and system updates? Is your POS system able to take global payment? Will your staff be prepared/trained on where foreign currency exchanges can occur?
NOT EVERY BUSINESS WILL BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED, NOR WILL DEMAND BE EVENLY DISTRIBUTED. LOCATION, PRODUCTS & SERVICES OFFERED, AND HOW WELL YOU PREPARE ARE MAJOR FACTORS THAT CAN IMPACT YOUR SUCCESS.
LOCAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE. KC GAME PLAN The KC Game Plan Playbook was created by VisitKC and the KC Sports Commission to empower businesses with the insights, tools, and connections they need to make informed decisions and take smart action, including: • Small Business Readiness Assessment • Business Interest Form • RFI/RFP Postings • KCSourceLink Calendar • Upcoming Visitor Insights and Hospitality Training • Marketing Guidelines HTTPS://KANSASCITYFWC26.COM/KC-GAME-PLAN COMMUNITY ACTIVATION PLAYBOOK The Community Activation Playbook is a guide to understanding the tournament scope, what it means for our region, and how you can take part in creating a safe, welcoming, and distinct Kansas City experience. In this playbook, you will find
practical information, inspiration, and resources to help you: • Understand Kansas City’s Host City role and key events. • Welcome visitors in ways that reflect your community’s character. • Navigate guidelines and marketing requirements with confidence. • Spark ideas for celebrations, décor, and other activations. HTTPS://KANSASCITYFWC26.COM/KC2026-COMMUNITY-PLAYBOOK
This toolkit is a curated resource designed to help local businesses maximize their impact and navigate available support as the KC Metro prepares to welcome the world this summer.
FNBO and Country Club Bank are divisions of First National Bank of Omaha, Member FDIC. FNBO and Country Club Bank are not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by FIFA, the FIFA World Cup 26™, or KC2026. FIFA World Cup 26™ and related marks are owned by FIFA. KC2026 and related marks are owned by their respective owners. Third-party information included for informational purposes only and subject to change.
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