Chiefs CEO Reveals Arrowhead Modifications for 2026 World Cup

“We've had a lot of construction going on at the sports complex this offseason,” Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said during Friday’s preseason game broadcast on KSHB. “With regard to Arrowhead, most of it was focused on getting the stadium ready for the World Cup next year.”

On Friday, the Chiefs will host the first of 10 games on their 2025 home slate when the Chicago Bears visit the stadium (7:20 p.m. CT, KSHB 41, 96.5 The Fan).

“We had to do a lot of surgery to the seating bowl,” Hunt said, “to make sure we have a wide-enough field. That work is complete and the Chiefs fans won’t even notice that it happened.”

Significant economic impact

Residents will certainly know when the World Cup happens. Several hundred thousand soccer fans will visit Kansas City over the six-week period next summer. FIFA, the governing body that conducts the event, has called the 2026 World Cup the largest sporting event in world history. It’s expected to pump more than $650 million into the Kansas City economy.

The Chiefs are grateful to play a central role.

“Well, first of all, I think it's absolutely incredible that Kansas City is one of the hosts,” Hunt said Friday. “We have six games, including a couple of knockout-round games. It's going to be probably the biggest event to ever come to Kansas City, and it's hard to say that given all the AFC Championship Games we've had, and the Royals playing in the World Series.

“But there's nothing like the World Cup, and it's going to be an amazing opportunity for all of us who love Kansas City, to showcase our great city on the world’s stage.”

Other NFL cities

Eleven NFL markets are hosting World Cup competition next summer and had to modify their stadiums in similar fashion, including the venue that hosted the Chiefs Friday night, Lumen Field in Seattle.

Other hosts from the NFL are SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Houston’s NRG Stadium, AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, Gillette Stadium in New England, MetLife Stadium in the New York City area, Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field and Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area, which will welcome the World Cup just four months after hosting Super Bowl 60.

• Hunt also mentioned Friday that the team used the construction opportunity to upgrade the team’s training facility near Arrowhead Stadium. After renovating the indoor practice facility and cafeteria last year, the Chiefs gave their training room a facelift and built a players’ lounge.

• Before building a brand-new team headquarters, the Chiefs need to await the outcome of their uncertain stadium situation.