Inside the Argentina vs. Algeria match in KC
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It was a beautiful night at Kansas City Stadium. GIF: Abbey Higginbotham/Axios
We went to the World Cup match last night, where Argentina scored a historic 3-0 victory over Algeria. But soccer was only part of the story.
- Here's a look inside the experience as we saw it, in pictures and GIFs.
Getting to the stadium put Kansas City's infrastructure to the test, resulting in traffic jams some said lasted two hours.
- We saw some fans jump out of cars, hike along the interstate and hop fences surrounding the stadium.
- KC2026 acknowledged the delays, and officials previously suggested planning on arriving early at the stadium.
There's a pregame ceremony to a World Cup match that you don't get on a normal game day here.
- Both Algeria and Argentina lined up along the field while each country's national anthem played, one after the other.
- Fans who were still working their way in from the traffic hurried to find their seats before the music started, and by kickoff the place was packed.
Argentina's Lionel Messi made history by tying the all time record of 16 goals scored during World Cup matches.
- It was also his first hat trick during a World Cup game.
- He continues his record of scoring every time he plays in Kansas City (following MLS games in 2024 and 2025).
Kansas City's outdoor stadium has a reputation for being the loudest in the world. Argentina fans put that to the test.
- The red-seated stadium was awash in white and sky blue, and each Messi goal was met with a deafening roar. The wave was a nice touch.
The burnt ends mac and cheese tasted exactly how it looked, and came with a bizarre price tag — $17.85 without tax.
- Beer ranged $18.39–$24.35.
Travis' thought bubble: As I was eating, some guy walked by and said, "Yeah, American! Mac and cheese!" I felt equal parts proud and not.
Fans were treated to a stunning sunset over the Kansas City skyline during halftime, with dozens of international fans taking photos while smoking cigarettes.
- An Argentina fan told Axios the stadium was "wonderful" and the weather couldn't have been better. It helps they were winning.
From up in the press box, we had a clear view of the whole thing.
- About a year ago, we sent the first Axios Kansas City newsletter. Last night we covered our city hosting a World Cup match.
The bottom line: We've come a long way in the past year, and so has KC. And this is only the beginning of the tournament.