How can Kansas City businesses cash in on FIFA World Cup 2026?
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The estimate is approximately 650,000 visitors will come to Kansas City during the World Cup, and they will be staying for matches between the dates of June 16th and July 11th.
According to Visit KC, if you add up those visitors with the amount of days/nights, they are saying it amounts to 2.1 million “visit days”, which is a big opportunity for area businesses to earn revenue from those guests.
Area Chambers of Commerce like Overland Park and Independence are reaching out to businesses in their respective communities to encourage them to get involved.
Kevin Walker is the Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at the Overland Park Chamber. He’s excited that they will likely be hosting an international team and their fans.
“It’s the Super Bowl on steroids,” Walker said. “There is literally an opportunity for everybody in this community, our small businesses, our large businesses, to engage and be part of something that is unlike anything else we’ve ever seen.”
Tom Lesnak is the Independence Chamber President and he is also encouraging businesses to get involved.
“Right now the FIFA committee is looking for vendors, they’re looking for people who can provide things like office equipment and furniture, which they’ll need for offices for the teams – down to catering services,” Lesnak said. “Basically everything you can possibly imagine. There’s probably a laundry list of about 30 different areas that they’re trying to build a database of local vendors who can provide those goods and services.
Minsky’s Pizza has already submitted the things they can meet. According to Spokesperson Emily Lewis that includes catering and meeting space.
“The World Cup to come to Kansas City is a once in a lifetime thing,” Lewis said. “Any local business would be proud to have their name on the list of where should I go visit, where should I go eat, what food should I try, where should I take my family. We would hope that fans and teams and everyone that comes here would love to try Minsky’s.”
If you want to add your business in the 2026 World Cup hat, fill out the form at the following website.
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