Transportation departments in Kansas and Missouri are preparing Kansas City roadways for the upcoming World Cup series.
The tournament will bring games to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium over a 33-day span from June 11 to July 19, according to reporting from KSHB 41. Officials expect increased traffic not only on game days, but also in the weeks leading up to the event as teams arrive early and fans travel in for practices and related events.
Road Preparations
Both states plan to scale back or pause ongoing roadwork to minimize disruptions.
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will slow work on 14 projects during the tournament, including construction along Interstate 70, where all lanes are expected to remain open.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is pausing projects across key corridors, including Interstate 435 and the Mill Creek bridges south of Midland, KSHB 41 reported. Paused work will resume gradually after the tournament, with contractors already notified of schedule changes.
In addition to limiting construction, MoDOT is replacing overhead signs along major routes, increasing monitoring of KC Scout traffic cameras, boosting litter removal and preparing for faster incident response. KDOT is also expanding litter removal efforts ahead of the anticipated traffic surge.
Despite these preparations, both agencies caution that drivers should expect delays, especially on match days.
Transit Plan Aims to Move Crowds Efficiently
Kansas City has launched a transportation plan, ConnectKC26, to help move residents and visitors throughout the event, according to KSHB 41.
The plan includes three primary services:
- Region Direct, which will transport fans between 15 locations and the National World War I Museum and Memorial — home of the FIFA Fan Festival — throughout the tournament.
- Stadium Direct, which will operate on match days, providing service to the stadium from four park-and-ride locations and the Fan Fest site.
- Airport Direct, offering transportation between the airport and downtown Kansas City every 15 minutes from June 11 to July 13.
Officials say enhanced transit options will significantly reduce travel times. For example, a typical one-hour-and-40 minute trip from Lenexa City Center to the Fan Fest could be reduced to about 30 minutes using Region Direct service.
All services will use motorcoaches capable of carrying up to 55 passengers.
KSHB 41 reported that the city has allocated $175,000 to improve pedestrian safety around park-and-ride locations, including adding sidewalks, removing trees and upgrading existing infrastructure.
Sources: KSHB 41
