World Cup teams are picking their top choices for a base camp this week, and three Kansas City area facilities could be on their lists.
Kansas City found out last month which countries will play here this summer as it prepares to host six World Cup matches at Arrowhead Stadium. The lineup includes reigning champion Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Curaçao, Ecuador, the Netherlands and Tunisia.
But host cities, including Kansas City, are still anticipating where teams will set up their base camps to train and rest during the 2026 tournament. The Sporting KC training facility, the KC Current training facility and Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kansas, are all options.
Pam Kramer, CEO of KC2026, said the local spots have been visited by multiple “pot one teams,” which includes nine of the highest-ranked teams in the tournament.
She said she’s confident at least two countries will choose one of the Kansas City area locations for their base camp. She also thinks it’s possible that more than one “pot one” team could as well.
“I think we are better positioned to do that than any other host city because of our facilities and our location and the way that we are unified and presenting ourselves when they visit,” Kramer said.
Kramer said she’s heard positive feedback from visiting countries on Kansas City’s facilities and location. But she acknowledged that teams have different needs: Some teams want to be farther off the beaten path, while others want to be closer to activities for staff and players to participate in.
“Their goal is to put their team in a position to perform at peak operating level, so the facilities, the travel that's associated with where they're playing, all of that factors in,” Kramer said.
Kramer said FIFA will announce base camp locations later in the spring. Multiple factors decide which spots teams will be matched with, she said, including rank and minimizing travel to matches.
With just months until the matches begin, Kansas City also is working through more than 16,000 applications of people who signed up to be World Cup volunteers. KC2026 staff said more than 4,600 volunteers have already gone through tryouts.
Kramer said the team initially estimated having roughly 6,000 volunteer spots, but is adjusting that number based on the updated match and Fan Fest schedules. She still anticipates needing at least 4,000 volunteers.
Her team is also using the match schedule to learn more about incoming teams’ cultures and customs. Kramer said that includes making sure match information is available in different languages or dialects of visiting countries and connecting with faith communities to plan ahead for a potential influx of visitors.
Kramer said they’re also planning for different fan bases and traditions, including the Dutch fan walk.
“So thinking through how we accommodate 5,000 to 10,000 people who want to participate in that fan walk and make sure that people who are from Kansas City and beyond, who may not be familiar with it, understand what it is and can also participate,” Kramer said.
