Arrowhead Stadium would need to temporarily remove some seats to host a World Cup matchGETTY IMAGES
The quest to bring World Cup games to K.C. has secured "prominent local sports and government figures," who have formed an exec committee as the bid for the '26 tournament "reaches its final stage," according to Sam McDowell of the K.C. STAR. K.C. is one of 17 "finalist cities" in the U.S. bidding to host '26 World Cup matches. The 11-person exec bid committee includes Chiefs Chair & CEO Clark Hunt, Sporting KC co-Owner Cliff Illig, Chiefs VP/Stadium Services & Events Matt Kenny and Sporting KC President & CEO Jake Reid. The group also named SKC VP/Development David Ficklin Exec Dir. Ficklin spent 11 years as SKC VP/Development and was "placed in charge of the construction of Children's Mercy Park and Pinnacle, the club's new practice facility that opened last year." The committee will use Sporting's facilities as "marketing tools in its bid," despite any games awarded likely being played at Arrowhead Stadium. Ficklin said that Arrowhead Stadium would "likely need to be trimmed to a rectangle shape rather than the existing curvature along the corners, requiring the temporary removal" of some seats. Chiefs President Mark Donovan said, "This isn't about changing the stadium for a match. It's about changing the stadium and then changing it back" (K.C. STAR, 3/8).
