Inside KC's almost-finished World Cup Fan Fest
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A sneak peek at the inside of KC Fan Fest. Photo: Abbey Higginbotham/Axios
Kansas City's free FIFA Fan Festival opens in just over two weeks, and the lawn of the National WWI Museum and Memorial is already starting to look the part.
Why it matters: Tickets to matches can cost thousands of dollars, but the Fan Fest is free and built to be the closest some of the city gets to the tournament.
By the numbers: At the construction site, about 500 workers a day are assembling the grounds, Mallory Cage, KC2026's director of Fan Festival and events, says.
- A 65-foot heart sculpture sits at the main entrance. Two 55-foot towers stand on either side, wrapped in red and blue flags that nod to the city's more than 200 fountains.
- Each will carry screens and speakers so attendees can watch matches from anywhere on the lawn.
The 152-foot main stage anchors the site, with a 50-by-25-foot center screen and two flanking screens.
- A second viewing area sits under a 30,000-square-foot shade canopy built into the lawn's slope.
The intrigue: The two-story VIP Legacy Lounge holds 500 people and is themed around KC sports history, including Lamar Hunt, the Chiefs, the Negro Leagues and the Royals' World Series wins.
- Cage says local teams are lending their championship trophies for display inside a custom atrium.
What they're saying: "We want to show the world that KC is on the rise — we are elevating. We are no longer a flyover state; we're a fly-to state," Cage says.
If you go: General admission to Fan Fest is free, but there are passes with exclusive perks available for $55 to $225.
- General entry is first-come, first-served and subject to capacity. The fest is capped at 25,000 people per day.
- Passes are available at passes.kc2026.com.
What's next: The festival runs select days between June 11 and July 11, with headliners including The Chainsmokers, Flo Rida, Sheryl Crow and Tech N9ne.