World Cup

Area health departments are putting the finishing touches on plans to keep residents and travelers healthy during the FIFA World Cup. Officials are hopeful increased wastewater surveillance and unified messaging will help prevent outbreaks.

An influx of visitors from countries where tipping isn't a cultural norm could mean a pay cut for some Kansas City hospitality workers. Several restaurants are adding auto-gratuity to be safe, but many in hotspots like Westport and Power & Light are waiting to see what happens.

From Cameron, Missouri to Lawrence, Kansas, small town officials say they offer a slice of the real America, cheaper accommodations and traditional 4th of July festivities.

A special program is bringing empty Kansas City storefronts back to life by placing entrepreneurs in prime downtown spaces to show off for an influx of international visitors. City leaders hope the program leads to long-term opportunities for small businesses and building owners.

The FIFA World Cup is rolling into Kansas City, Missouri, and with it, over 650,000 visitors. Not only can the city expect an economic boom, but the impacts will be seen in surrounding areas — including Maryville.

Just weeks before thousands of fans from around the world celebrate the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the lawn of the National WWI Museum and Memorial, local organizers and security partners gathered there to practice responding to emergencies.

It's not just Kansas City's airport that expects to see an influx of visitors for this summer's World Cup. St. Louis also expects to field travelers, who will then need to trek across the state by car, Amtrak or bus.

A free event Friday at Westport Plaza in Maryland Heights will give soccer fans the chance to get an up-close look at the World Cup trophy, ahead of the international tournament's kickoff next month. The trophy tour visits Kansas City over the weekend.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe met with local and federal public safety officials on Monday to discuss the state's emergency security protocol, which includes sending more than 100 Missouri National Guard service members and state troopers to the metro.

The federal government promised Kansas City $59 million in security funding for the World Cup. The partial government shutdown put funds' release in limbo until the Department of Homeland Security announced last week it would start sending money.