World Cup fans love KC. Tourism leaders want more of that.
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"Come again," framed by a big KC heart. Photo: Jack Gorman/FIFA via Getty Images
The World Cup is America's chance to win back foreign visitors amid falling international tourism and unpopular federal policies, national and local tourism leaders said at a Visit KC panel Tuesday.
Why it matters: Locals are welcoming foreign fans in Kansas City and across the country, and politicians are banking on those positive interactions to improve America's image.
Driving the news: Fans we spoke with at the Argentina-Algeria match on Tuesday said nothing but good things about KC's welcome and hospitality.
- Lawrence's warm reaction to hosting Algeria's base camp made international news. Fans elsewhere have said the same.
- "We could not be made to feel more welcome," a Scottish fan said about Boston on TikTok. "The America we're experiencing right now is the America we were promised growing up."
What they're saying: "We don't have to rely on politicians to be the face of America," U.S. Travel Association CEO Geoff Freeman said during the panel Tuesday. U.S. Rep. Mark Alford and Gov. Mike Kehoe, both Missouri Republicans, applauded.
Friction point: Freeman later told Axios that Alford and Kehoe "know the role they play at a local level on travel issues. What happens when they get to a federal level is they forget the role that policies have on welcoming or not welcoming travelers."
- He pointed to a new $250 "visa integrity fee" Congress passed last year.
- He backed cracking down on illegal immigration and securing the border, but added, "I think the pendulum has just gone so far."
The other side: "I've been focused on securing the federal resources our host cities need, especially for public safety," Alford, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, told Axios about his work on federal tourism policy.
- "When the world comes to Kansas City, they're going to see the very best of America — and that's going to create lasting opportunities for tourism, business, and investment," he said.
Context: KC, the smallest of the 11 U.S. host cities, spent nearly $200 million on hosting six World Cup matches, betting the spotlight will pay off long after the final whistle.
- Local organizers expect 650,000 visitors and $653 million in direct economic impact from the tournament.
- KC's tourism economy held fairly steady last year as record business travel offset a leisure and international slump.
Zoom out: International visits to the U.S. fell 5.5% in 2025, the first drop since the pandemic.
- The U.S. drew 11 million fewer foreign visitors last year than in 2019, Freeman said.
- Canadians took 28% fewer trips to the U.S. in 2025 than in 2024, according to Statistics Canada, as trade and political tensions steered many away.
What we're watching: Freeman said the U.S. has to build on the World Cup to win travelers back, and he wants Congress to drop the $250 visa fee before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.