MARC Executive Director David Warm said his organization is proud to partner with Cleaver’s office and other groups to do their part in bringing the world to Kansas City’s doorstep.
Mark Jorgenson, chairman of the KC2026 Board of Directors said, “We are grateful to Congressman Cleaver (top) for his leadership in recognizing that hosting a global event of this magnitude requires sustained federal partnership. The World Cup is executed at a local level, but really it’s a national moment.” Kansas City Police Department Chief Stacey Graves (lower picture) said that KCPD stands ready to ensure the safety of everyone who comes to the city this summer.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, thanked Cleaver, Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota, and others for helping to ensure a smooth World Cup event. Adding that it will have great benefits for Kansas City long after the players hang up their cleats and the crowds travel back home.
BY JOE ARCE AND COREY CRABLEIn depth report
A press conference last week announced the allocation of nearly $6 million in federal funding for security and readiness during the FIFA World Cup in Kansas City this summer.
U.S. Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver (D-MO), along with leaders from KC2026, the Mid-America Regional Council, and the Kansas City Transportation Authority, made the announcement on Feb. 19 at the CPKC Stadium. Cleaver said, “the investments will strengthen coordination between local public safety agencies and improve regional transportation operations, helping ensure residents, workers, and visitors can safely move through and enjoy the region during this global event.”
“As a host city, our responsibility is clear: deliver a safe, secure, and seamless experience for fans while protecting our local community,” Cleaver said. “This federal funding strengthens security coordination, modernizes transportation infrastructure, and ensures our first responders and transit systems are equipped to handle a global event of this scale. When the world comes to Kansas City, they will be met with a community that is prepared, resilient, and ready to welcome our neighbors from across the globe.”
The funding includes grants allocated to a number of local organizations, including $1.9 million for MARC to purchase automated license plate readers, more than $2 million for KCATA’s Ambassador Program and public safety technology, more than $1 million for additional police cruisers for the Kansas City Police Department, and another $1 million for police aviation technology equipment.
Mark Jorgenson, chairman of the KC2026 Board of Directors, said the money allocated will help install “tangible resources that strengthen our region’s infrastructure, enhance public safety capabilities, and ensure that Kansas City is fully prepared to welcome the world this summer.”
“As we continue to finalize details, Kansas City is exactly where we should be at this point in the cycle,” Jorgenson said. “There is strong alignment across our public and private partners. There is confidence in the plan, and there is a shared commitment to delivering a World Cup experience that is seamless, welcoming, and executed at global scale. For this moment, we are on track, and we are prepared to deliver.”
One of the clearest signals of that readiness, he added, is evident in the fact that Argentina, the Netherlands, and England have all chosen to house their base camps in Kansas City.
“Hosting Argentina is a particular honor. As you all know, they are defending world champion. It is one of the most iconic teams in world football, representing excellence and extraordinary connection between team and supporters. We are proud to be a part of the World Cup journey,” Jorgenson said. “We are equally proud to welcome England. There is something about this region that resonates with teams that value focus, authenticity, and genuine hospitality. We respect the traditions of the game and responsibility that comes with hosting it.”
He continued, “And we are prepared to serve as home for the Netherlands, supporting both the team and its very passionate supporters. You’ll see it, they’ll be in orange, with world-class facilities and fan-friendly neighborhoods that make it easy to feel at home. And of course, you heard there’ll be a fourth team, which I can’t talk about.”
Jorgenson praised everyone involved in securing the funding, saying that it happened through concerted efforts at multiple levels.
“We are grateful to Congressman Cleaver for his leadership in recognizing that hosting a global event of this magnitude requires sustained federal partnership. The World Cup is executed at a local level, but really it’s a national moment,” he said. “It requires coordination and support from the local, state, and federal levels, ensuring that host cities are equipped with the right tools to essentially protect the integrity of the tournament and the experience of millions around the country who will engage with it. Our goal is straightforward. Strong, coordinated security paired with smooth movement and welcoming public spaces, so fans feel both protected and comfortable during their time here.”
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, too, thanked Cleaver, Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota, and others for helping to ensure a smooth World Cup event, adding that it will have great benefit for Kansas City long after the players hang up their cleats and the crowds travel back home.
“These are investments, obviously, to make sure that we can pull off an exceptional World Cup this summer, but these are investments that stay within our community, making sure we have the resources to host the next big event, the next global event, more than anything, to keep Kansas City at the front of people’s mentions,” Lucas said. “So I’m excited about these investments, not just for the World Cup. I’m excited about these investments because it’s going to help us host more international rugby matches. Thank you all for bringing those to us. It’s going to help us get more and more figured out.”
Lucas added that one of the base camps will be set up at Swope Park, calling that development an “exhilarating game-changer.”
“As a kid who grew up playing in Swope Park, learning how to drive in Swope Park, everything under the sun, I think it’s amazing for our community engagement in the Northland, which is exciting for me,” Lucas said. “So we have wonderful engagement in every part of our community -- northwest, east, and south.”
MARC Executive Director David Warm said his organization is proud to partner with Cleaver’s office and other groups to do their part in bringing the world to Kansas City’s doorstep.
“We’ve been privileged to play a role in partnering with the Congressman on many of those initiatives over the years. We represent all the local governments in the metropolitan area. We often bring together local communities as well as community interest groups to create more collaborative, stronger, more investable ideas,” Warm said, “and the Congressman has helped to instigate a number of ideas that we have pursued over the years. And the moment we’re talking about today is just another one of those incredible investments.”
Kansas City Police Department Chief Stacey Graves said that KCPD stands ready to ensure the safety of everyone who comes to the city this summer.
“We want to make sure that all of our residents and our visitors are safe in Kansas City as we welcome the world,” Graves said. “In my line of work, we prepare for the worst, but we hope for the best. We have robust information sharing with between us, and obviously at the time of the World Cup, we’ll have that with other host cities. But we have a great connection with our federal partners that keep us in touch with whether there’s a global threat, a specific threat to our area, or any kind of threats toward the World Cup presence here in the United States.”
Graves continued, “We don’t want public safety to be the focus. We want fans. We want the public to embrace the World Cup and have a good time.”
Chris Whiting, KCATA vice-chair, said the grant will help his organization will help its mission of connecting residents and visitors to the city’s many attractions and opportunities.
“The first grant funds our transit ambassadors program. These are trained personnel who will serve as welcoming, knowledgeable, and calming presences across our network. They’ll assist passengers, they’ll help de-escalate tense situations, and they’ll serve as the eyes and the ears across our system. And with hundreds of thousands of World Cup visitors coming to Kansas City, these ambassadors will literally help connect us to the rest of the world,” Whiting said. “The second grant funds our AI-enabled cameras, license plate readers, gunshot detection, and lighting improvements across our buses, our stops, and our facilities, allowing us to be proactive, not just reactive, in keeping our riders and our operators safe. Together, these investments reflect something that Congressman Cleaver has always understood that only when people feel safe can they fully participate in their community as they should be able to. That is equity, that’s opportunity, and that’s what we’re all working toward.”
Lucas said the city and the county aren’t just thankful for Cleaver’s efforts they’re also excited about being able to show the world what Kansas City is all about.
“We are grateful, but more than being grateful, Congressman, we are excited,” Lucas said to Cleaver. “We think when people come to Kansas City this summer, they will want to keep coming back, they will want to invest. They will know not just the hospitality, the culture, but the exceptional, safe community we have.”
