Davids Hosts Inaugural World Cup Community Conversation, Announces Launch of Congressional World Cup Caucus
KANSAS CITY, KS - Today, Representative Sharice Davids hosted her first World Cup Community Conversation, bringing together dozens of local, state, regional, and federal government officials, trade professionals, and business experts. Today's conversation focused on transportation needs, and Davids will convene stakeholders for future discussions addressing small business needs, public safety, and more. The goal of this series is to ensure the Kansas City region is adequately prepared to take advantage of the economic boom brought by the 2026 World Cup, which is expected to reach around $620 million.
"People from across the KC region came together saying ‘We want the World Cup,’ and I'm thrilled we succeeded in bringing it here. But we must ensure we're prepared,” said Davids. “My community conversation series aims to prepare our community for the influx of tourists, players, and others in 2026. I'm looking forward to continuing to gather folks from across the region for these important discussions, so we can meet our community’s needs, seize future economic opportunities, and showcase the best of our region to the world."
“Kansas City is a dynamic destination, and delivering a robust transportation plan is essential to providing a seamless experience for residents and visitors alike,” says Julie Lorenz, Senior Advisor for Transportation, KC2026. “I look forward to leveraging my experience in both the private and public sectors on this historic project, the largest sporting event in this region’s history.”
It is estimated that 6.8 million tourists visited World Cup host cities in 2018. To ensure these soccer fans, players, coaches, and workers can efficiently and safely travel between hotels, restaurants, small businesses, and stadiums, today’s discussion focused solely on transportation needs of the region. Participants of the conversation included:
- City of Kansas City, MO
- City of Olathe, KS
- City of Overland Park, KS
- Dentsu
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
- Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
- Johnson County Airport Commission
- Johnson County Commission
- Johnson County Transit
- Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
- Kansas City Aviation Department
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Kansas City, MO Police Department
- Kansas City Royals
- Kansas City Sports Commission
- Kansas Department of Transportation
- Kansas Tourism
- KC Streetcar Authority
- KC2026
- League of Kansas Municipalities
- Mid-America Regional Council
- Missouri Department of Transportation
- Missouri Division of Tourism
- Office of Congressman Sam Graves
- Office of the Jackson County Executive
- Office of the Mayor of Kansas City, MO
- U.S. Department of Transportation
- U.S. Federal Transit Authority
- Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City
“We thank U.S. Congresswoman Sharice Davids for her leadership and continued commitment to supporting positive things in KCK,” said Mayor Tyrone A. Garner, Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. “As many know, Kansas City Kansas is proud to be the home of the Sporting KC professional soccer team. As the Mayor of Kansas City Kansas, I want the world to know we are World Cup-ready as the heart of Soccer in the USA. Wyandotte County is looking forward to FIFA fans embracing the fact that the Dotte is THE spot for Soccer!”
“Today, our KC Streetcar team is working diligently to prepare our system to serve as the backbone of our region's transportation system for KC2026 and beyond,” said Tom Gerend, Executive Director, KC Streetcar Authority. “Offering free public transit from Berkley Riverfront to the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus, the KC Streetcar will serve an essential role connecting visitors to fan fest sites, hotels, and Kansas City's most notable destinations. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Representative Sharice Davids for bringing our region together and supporting our collective efforts to make this event a success for all of Kansas City."
“The 2026 World Cup will be the largest sporting event in the history of the world, and the best opportunity our region has ever had to be in the international spotlight,” said Mike Kelly, Chairman, Johnson County Board of Commissioners. “Diligent work is underway to make sure the tournament creates sustained, long-term impact for our community. I appreciate Congresswoman Davids bringing this group together to keep stakeholders appraised of progress.”
“As the regional transportation authority, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority is expected to provide leadership in planning and implementation of mobility options related to the 2026 World Cup being hosted by Kansas City,” said Frank White III, President and CEO, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA). “KCATA brings a great deal of event experience to the table and is in the favorable position to leverage local, regional and national resources to provide a successful transportation solution for visitors from across the planet.”
Recently, Davids launched the bipartisan Congressional FIFA 2026 World Cup Caucus to support the United States’ role in hosting the 2026 World Cup. This caucus will provide educational opportunities and advance initiatives, serving as a hub for discussing issues, opportunities, concerns, stakeholder perspectives, logistics, and legislative priorities to support the 11 host cities across the country. Participating Members joining Davids include those representing host cities and surrounding regions.