As the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches, excitement is building in Kansas City, especially among soccer fans who are eager to attend the games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The city, which is set to host six games during the prestigious tournament, is buzzing with anticipation, and that buzz can be heard loud and clear inside Westport Tattoo, a popular spot for locals and soccer enthusiasts alike.
Gabe Wilkerson, a longtime soccer fan, is among those excited about the World Cup’s arrival in Kansas City. “To have something like that come to Kansas City, with being a big soccer fan all my life and all those world teams coming here, it’s just great,” said Wilkerson while getting a sleeve tattoo at Westport Tattoo. He’s looking forward to taking his family to one of the games, but as ticket prices start to roll out, he’s left wondering if it will be affordable.
The excitement around the World Cup is met with a dose of reality: the premium hospitality tickets for the Kansas City games are priced between $1,225 and $3,000 per ticket for the group-stage matches. These premium packages are part of FIFA’s hospitality program, handled by On Location, which has already made these high-end tickets available for purchase. However, there’s no need to panic just yet.
Pam Kramer, CEO of KC2026, reassured fans that these hospitality tickets are separate from those available to the general public, which will be sold through FIFA’s official site starting in late 2025. The general tickets, which will be considerably more affordable, are what most fans like Wilkerson are hoping to secure.
Westport Tattoo owner Tim Johnson, also a soccer fan, expressed concern about the potential cost of attending with his family. “It definitely seems like a lot of those bigger sporting events are pretty expensive,” Johnson said. However, he remains hopeful that more reasonably priced tickets will be available for the general public. “Whenever I heard it was coming, I wanted to go,” Johnson said, adding that his son is also eager to attend.
Tattoo artist Sarah Clark, who has a deep love for soccer, echoed similar sentiments. “I don’t even care who’s playing,” Clark said. “It would just be cool to go see the experience, get to meet people from all over the place and all that kind of stuff.” As a child, Clark attended Kansas City Wizards games in front of sparse crowds, and she’s looking forward to seeing a much larger and more excited fanbase this time around. “I would imagine we’re gonna have a few more people involved and a few more excited fans than we did back in the ’90s,” she said.
When it comes to ticket prices, most of the Westport Tattoo staff are hoping to find tickets in the $150 to $500 range. Wilkerson, for example, is open to spending that amount for his family. “It’s more than I would probably pay to do it, but that doesn’t sound like it’s outlandish at all,” he said. Clark, however, is wary of the high prices for the premium packages and emphasized that they are not within reach for the average person. “For the average Joe, I would imagine that’s not within reach,” Clark said.
Despite the steep premium prices, Wilkerson is relieved that general ticket sales are expected to be much more affordable. “I feared it might cost $1,000 or more for any ticket to a World Cup game, but now I’m hopeful general ticket sales should be closer to my family’s price range,” he said. He’s optimistic that the general public will get a chance to purchase tickets in the third quarter of 2025, which could offer a more accessible option for Kansas City families.
For those looking for exclusive access, fans can place a deposit with On Location for priority access to hospitality experiences that include tickets. However, for most, the wait for general ticket sales continues, and FIFA advises fans to be cautious of unofficial ticketing websites. “FIFA encourages any fan wishing to purchase tickets for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ to be wary of non-FIFA official ticketing websites that claim to be selling tickets already,” the organization said in a statement.
While the high cost of premium tickets is causing concern among some, the overall excitement for the World Cup’s arrival in Kansas City is palpable. For many fans, the experience of attending the tournament and witnessing world-class soccer firsthand will be worth the price — whatever it may be.
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