Kansas City will be getting some mass transportation upgrades to support hosting the upcoming FIFA World Cup, according to KCUR.
At least 215 more buses will be on Kansas City roads between June and July 2026. The new program is called ConnectKC26, and it will reach underserved neighboring areas with new routes. These will connect attendees to the stadium, airport, attractions, and the concurrent Fan Festival.
Local transit agencies will also be increasing the availability of public transportation.
"Partners in the region do an excellent job of providing services to people in their day-to-day lives, getting to the grocery store, getting to work, getting to school," said KC2026 chief operations officer Lindsey Douglas, per KCUR. "We know with the folks that are coming to participate in the tournament, whether that's a visitor or resident, we needed to meet those needs without disrupting that day-to-day activity."
Mass transportation can help save a few bucks on parking and gas, not to mention being much more convenient during high-traffic events like the World Cup. Even for those who still stick to driving their own cars, more bus riders means less road congestion and easier travel for everybody.
On a per-rider basis, buses are much better for pollution, too. By relying more on mass transit, it's possible to cut transportation pollution, which is exacerbating destructive weather patterns like floods, droughts, and storms. For example, Kansas City was caught up in a deadly polar vortex last winter.
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While the benefits of increasing public transportation are clear, the plans for the World Cup in Kansas City do have a few downsides. ConnectKC26 is a paid service, and prices are yet to be set. This could leave many soccer fans out of luck due to budget constraints.
Also, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority's expansion of service for the event is biting into a $2 million budget that was originally earmarked for new regular buses. The bump in mass transit options is only set for the duration of the World Cup, but there's hope that it will spark wider public interest in riding the bus.
"If we can, and I believe we can, deliver transportation that is reliable, safe, seamless, pleasant, people will say, 'You know what? I would love to have a direct ride to the airport. I would love to have a direct ride downtown. I am more inclined to support, listen and talk about public transit moving forward,'" said CEO of KC2026 Pam Kramer, per KCUR.
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