Kansas City is investing nearly $200 million to host the 2026 World Cup, with six matches scheduled to begin on Tuesday. Organizers anticipate more than 650,000 visitors and project over $653 million in direct economic impacts across retail, food and beverage, hospitality, and other sectors.

Municipal, state, and federal funds have contributed to Kansas City's World Cup preparations. The city enhanced transportation lines connecting the airport, the stadium, and the fan festival in downtown. Uber is adding more drivers in preparation for the matches. Despite being a host city, Kansas City has limited direct international flights compared to other North American host cities.

Victor Matheson, a professor at The College of the Holy Cross and an expert in sports economics, said, "You are putting yourself on the international stage." He asked, "But do we really believe that people from Japan and Uzbekistan and Cabo Verde are saying: 'hey, I'm going on my once-in-a-lifetime trip to the United States, and I'm going to take it to Kansas City'?"

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas stated, "What does a win mean for a city?" He also asked, "When should a city invest in these kinds of things?" Lucas added, "Hopefully, this World Cup gives us the opportunity to test some of these."

A May report by the American Hotel and Lodging Association found that hotel reservations nationwide were weaker than host cities anticipated, partly due to FIFA canceling large blocks of rooms. By the end of May, Kansas City saw a 56 percent increase in short-term rental listings, the largest increase among all host cities. Approximately 55 percent of short-term rentals are booked around match days, and available rooms are 182 percent more expensive than last year at this time. Jamie Lane, Chief Economist at AirDNA, observed, "The expectations are: 'It was going to be fully booked two months ago at four times my rate.'" She continued, "And now, as the behavior manifests, it's: 'They're going to book me a week before at double my rate.'" Lane summarized, "It's expectations versus behavior."

Charlie Hustle, a local business, opened a new pop-up shop featuring a limited-edition U.S. Soccer collection, including T-shirts that combine national flags with the brand's heart-shaped designs. Johnny's Tavern reversed its plan to add automatic 18 percent tips to every bill for the event.