Solid Footing
Road trip? Check.
A brunch omelet built for a 12-hour day? Check.
Seventy six thousand Colombia fans turning an NFL stadium into Bogotá West? Biggest check of my life.
When my wife handed me tickets to the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between Colombia and Ghana at Arrowhead Stadium, I did not ask what they cost. Some questions are better left unanswered. What I can tell you is what the trip was worth, and the answer is everything.
The Drive Out
Kansas City sits about nine hours from Cincinnati, which sounds brutal until you break it up the right way. We pulled off in the Missouri Ozarks to knock out the state's highest point at Taum Sauk Mountain, hiked out to Mina Sauk Falls, and wandered the giant granite boulders of Elephant Rocks State Park. If you ever make this drive, build in the detour. Your legs will thank you after all that windshield time.
We met up with one of my wife's longtime friends who was also attending the match. The two of them worked in sports together years ago, so the group chat energy was already at a World Cup level before we hit the Kansas state line.
We stayed near the Overland Park Convention Center, a move I would recommend to anyone chasing a knockout round match in the future, even in other cities or countries. Embrace. The rooms were cheaper than downtown, and the official World Cup transportation was so well run that we never missed a beat.
Match Day Morning
We started with an Uber down to City Market, and if you have ever spent a Saturday at Findlay Market, you already know the feeling. Picture Findlay expanded a few blocks in every direction. Open air stalls, produce, meats, tacos, the self-proclaimed world's largest soda selection at KC Soda Co, and plenty of spots to grab a drink while you people watch.
From there it was a one block walk to The Farmhouse on Delaware Street. They quoted us 30 minutes for a table, so we grabbed a drink at the bar and were seated in about 10. The brunch delivered. My omelet was exactly the fuel I needed for the long, hot day ahead.
We walked Delaware to Main and landed in the Power & Light District, where the KC Live block party felt like a supersized version of 4th Street Live in Louisville. Flags from every nation hung overhead while Australia and Egypt battled into penalty kicks on the big screen, with Egypt pulling it out at the end. The crowd around us was almost exclusively decked out in Colombian yellow, and the roar for every PK told you exactly how the evening was going to sound.
The Fan Fest
One more short ride brought us to the official FIFA Fan Festival on the grounds of the National WWI Museum and Memorial, where a massive red heart sculpture framed the Liberty Memorial tower and thousands of fans danced through the afternoon heat. If I have one honest critique of the entire trip, it was the nearly mile long walk just to reach the fan fest entrance. In July. With the sun bearing down. Once inside, though, the energy erased the complaint. DJs, drinks, food, scarf walls, and a sea of yellow jerseys as far as you could see.
From there we caught our official shuttle to Arrowhead. Considering the sheer number of people moving at once, the process was smooth and efficient, and the air conditioned ride was a genuine respite. The lots outside the stadium held even more activations, with music, drinks, and misting stations pushing the party right up to the gates.
Inside Arrowhead
Our seats were in the nosebleeds, and I would not have traded them. The view was immaculate. Arrowhead holds 76,416 people, and I am convinced 76,000 of them were wearing Colombia yellow. The temperature never really dipped below 85, but as the sun set, the purple and pink sky against all that red and yellow was astounding.
I had no dog in this fight. It did not matter. You could not help but get swept up in the Colombian movement. Hearing thousands upon thousands of fans belt out their national anthem on the eve of my own country's birthday was something to behold. The chant that never stopped all night was “Vamos, vamos, Colombia, que esta noche tenemos que ganar,” which translates to “Come on, come on, Colombia, we have to win tonight.”
They did. Jhon Arias flicked home a Luis Suárez cross in the 14th minute, and the yellow wall never let Ghana breathe. The Black Stars failed to put a single shot on target all night. One goal was all Los Cafeteros needed to punch their ticket to the round of 16.
The heat inside was no joke. About halfway through the second half I took a five minute break to refill water and grab a cold towel. Misting stations were scattered around the concourse, though I think FIFA could have done a better job with water stations for a night that hot. Stadium food ran expensive, as expected, but the bacon cheeseburger with burnt ends mac and cheese was worth every Kansas City penny. I stuck mostly to water with a Guinness or two mixed in, my usual, while my wife cooled down with a frozen margarita.
And honestly, world soccer felt right at home in an American football stadium.
The Verdict
Kansas City and Cincinnati are similar in a lot of ways, from the river city bones to the barbecue smoke in the air. The biggest difference is that their professional stadiums sit well outside the downtown core, which made the organized transportation essential. The city nailed it. The volunteers and FIFA staff were nothing short of incredible, kind, courteous, and pleasant at every single checkpoint.
KC's hosting duties are done, so anyone chasing the rest of this tournament will need to pick a new city. My advice is simple. Take full advantage of the official transportation, stay a little outside the core to save money, hydrate like it is your job, and get to the fan fest even if the walk tests your patience. A World Cup on American soil happens once in a generation, and for one sweltering night in Kansas City, I got to stand inside the middle of it, surrounded by yellow.
– Jarrett Baston