Missouri news

Kansas City Current fans pack brand new CPKC Stadium to capacity and celebrate a win

KCUR | By Madeline Fox

Published March 17, 2024 at 1:23 PM CDT

Kansas City Current fans cheer for their team at the home opener on March 16, 2024. The game marked the debut of CPKC Stadium, the first stadium built specifically for a women's professional sports team. The fans have flags from Brazil and Canada, two of the countries represented by Current players on the national stage.

The Current opened the National Women's Soccer League season with a win in the team's new Berkley riverfront stadium. It's the first in the world built for a women's professional soccer team.

The Kansas City Current brought down the house — their own, history-making house — as they notched a win at the first game in CPKC Stadium, the first stadium built specifically for a women’s professional sports team.

The game was filled with firsts, called out one after one by the team’s announcers to roaring cheers from the packed stadium.

The first traditional “KC BABY” chant to start the match in the new stadium, led by team co-owners Patrick and Brittany Mahomes.

The first all-female crewed Air Force flyover. The first kickoff. The first goal, from Current midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo halfway through the first half.

It was an emotional sight for Kansas City native Elisa Rios.

“I’ve been a soccer player since I was little, tears are so close to falling,” she said. “It means everything to me. Growing up I mostly played in men’s soccer because there wasn't a lot of women’s soccer teams, and so to see it here today is phenomenal.”

The Current gained an early lead, but Portland almost caught up — the final score was 5-4. The Current’s youngest player, 16-year-old Alex Pfeiffer, scored the fifth goal, making her the youngest to ever score in the National Women’s Soccer League.

The Current’s new, permanent home on the riverfront means a lot to fans who have followed them since the first iteration of the team, FC Kansas City, played their first game at Shawnee Mission District Stadium in 2013. The team moved to Utah after the 2017 season, then reestablished in Kansas City for the 2021 season.

Susan Brueggemann got into women’s soccer during the 2015 Women’s World Cup, and followed FC Kansas City until that team folded. She lives in Oklahoma now, but texted her sister as soon as she heard about the opening game. The pair snapped up tickets.

Brueggemann wore an original blue FC Kansas City jersey emblazoned with “Sauerbrunn” on the back. U.S. Women’s National Team captain Becky Sauerbrunn was one of the founding members of FC Kansas City, and now plays for the Thorns.

“I really enjoy the support that the city has given to the team, because that wasn’t as apparent in their first run in Kansas City,” Brueggemann said. “It’s just showing that Kansas City’s on the forefront of women’s sports.”

Susan Breuggemann wore her jersey from the original FC Kansas City to the Current's home opener in CPKC Stadium. Having seen Kansas City lose its original women's soccer team, she said she's excited by the commitment from new ownership to build the team their own home stadium.

Teams earn three points for each win. With this victory, The Current will move up the league standings.

“I’m happy for the three points, but I can say that I’m so much more excited about the stadium, about the atmosphere, about the moment,” said Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski, who also coached the original FC Kansas City.

A sellout crowd of 11,500 filled the teal seats. For Jamie George, the day marked two special occasions – the stadium’s debut, and her ninth birthday. She said she loved “everything” about the new stadium. She was most excited to see Debinha play. The Brazilian midfielder is her favorite player.

“I like that she plays for Brazil, on the national team, as well,” she said. “And she almost won the World Cup.”

Many fans said they were excited to see Debinha play, including Trisha Van Wig, who brought her Thorns fan sister Faith Van Kaiser to the game. And they were also both excited to see goalkeeper A.D. Franch, a native of Salina, Kansas.

“A.D. has played for both Portland and Kansas City, so we share her,” Van Wig said with a laugh.

The Current sold out its 11,500-seat new stadium for opening day.

Though the Current doesn’t allow tailgating in its parking lots this season, fans found a few places to gather and hype each other up before the game. Several bars and breweries near the riverfront, including River Bluff Brewing, Bar K, Double Tap and Block 15, opened early to cater to fans.

Others waited to grab food and drinks at the game. The team partnered with several local restaurants and breweries to fill out the stadium’s concession stands — including Yoli Tortilleria, Waldo Thai, Billie’s Grocery and Martin City Brewing.

Soccer was the main draw, though, and fans weren’t disappointed by the high — and close — final score.

“Everybody’s going to want to come now, it was that much of a show,” said Current midfielder and team captain Lo’eau LaBonta.