Locals say that not getting a match for the World Cup is an injustice for a city with this level of soccer passion. However, for anyone who calls the Gateway City home, there is a bright side not to be overlooked. You are in closer proximity to a World Cup stadium than almost any other city in the United States.
Kansas City, a mere five-hour drive away on I-70 (which is more like a day trip), will be hosting six World Cup matches in the summer. Before we get discouraged and start to make excuses on why we shouldn't go, let's outline the logistics on the closest destination and show you where to find world cup tickets once you've set your date.
Kansas City is just down I-70
The nearest 2026 World Cup Stadium is about 250 miles due west of St. Louis, and you can drive it in about four hours, no flying or layovers required. For the purposes of the tournament, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium is being called "Kansas City Stadium".
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As for the schedule, it should be clear that Kansas City is not a consolation host city. There are four group stage games, one Round of 32 match, and a quarterfinal match. A highlight for many is definitely the opening match between Argentina, who won the 2022 World Cup, and Algeria on June 16. Also in that group, Netherlands, Ecuador, and Austria will play June 16, 20, 25, and 27. That is followed by a knockout match on July 3, and the quarterfinal match is scheduled for July 11. This is the same stadium which set the record for the loudest stadium twice — now full of jerseys from three continents.
How to travel
There is certainly one straightforward way to go to Kansas City, I-70. The one caveat, though, is that there are only about 4,000 spaces for general parking at the stadium, and no rail connection to the stadium. So you can take advantage of the ConnectKC26 network of shuttles between the airport, the stadium, and downtown.
It is not well known to many folks that Kansas City has two connections to Amtrak's Missouri River Runner daily. Trains leave St. Louis at 8:15 a.m. and 3:05 p.m., and the 5:40 travel time to Kansas City includes wifi and a cafe car, not to mention not having a designated driver after the match. In either case, be sure to get your World Cup 2026 tickets first — your World Cup ticket determines the date, which then determines where you'll stay, how you'll get there, and what else you'll be doing.
A few things to consider
The availability is the bigger issue right now, though. With the opening game being an Argentine one, lodging in the surrounding area might be scarce. Book a hotel the day you receive the ticket, or else plan on driving out from St. Louis to catch a match and returning.
