SportsBeat KC

North America was awarded the 2026 FIFA World Cup eight years ago. Four years later, Kansas City was named one of the event’s 16 host cities.

Now, it’s here. The world’s biggest sporting event begins Thursday with the first game in Kansas City on June 16. Are we ready?

In this week’s episode of SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR (89.3 FM), sports columnists Vahe Gregorian and Sam McDowell share their thoughts.

Ticket sales, hotel prices, safety and security have been the big topics leading up to the event. How is Kansas City responding? Also, how will Team USA fare in the global tournament?

And if Argentina, looking to win its second straight World Cup and fourth overall, is the Chiefs among base-camp teams training in the region, what KC sports entities do England, Netherlands and Algeria resemble?

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Hannah Wise, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.   

The news is good and bad for the Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes is back on the practice field, taking part in some drills. That’s a great sign as the two-time MVP continues to heal from torn knee ligaments.

The not-so-good news: Wide receiver Rashee Rice is still serving his 30-day jail sentence for violating terms of his probation stemming from his 2024 arrest for his role in a Dallas car crash.

On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR (89.3 FM), Chiefs beat writer Pete Sweeney and columnist Vahe Gregorian discuss these developments and more as the Chiefs’ offseason prep-work continues.

Also, we’ll tell you what’s on our radar in Kansas City sports this week, including the World Cup and college baseball.

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Hannah Wise, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.  

Of the 11 U.S. cities to host FIFA World Cup games, Kansas City is the most unlikely — but also among the most deserving. The story of how KC turned itself into one of the nation’s premier soccer cities is the subject of the book: “Perfect Pitch: How Kansas City Became the Heart of American Soccer,” by Nate Bukaty and Rustin Dodd.

On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR (89.3 FM), Bukaty describes the journey, from the early days of immigrants playing on local fields to the first professional teams through the triumphs of Sporting KC and the KC Current. The momentum continued not only with games in the World Cup, but four base camps in the Kansas City area.

The world’s largest sporting event is coming to the middle of America because, as Bukaty notes, Kansas City earned the bid.

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Hannah Wise, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.   

In less than a month, the first FIFA World Cup game will be played in Kansas City, and it won’t take that long for fans of teams with base camps here to begin arriving.

So, what can KC expect?

On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR (89.3 FM), Ignaciao Bottaro, a journalist from Buenos Aires, shares his thoughts on Argentina’s quest to defending its World Cup title that begins in Kansas City. Bottaro was in town recently, reporting for Telefe Noticias, and he tells us his impressions of Kansas City.

After a break you’ll hear from Daniel Oordt, the “Orange Suit Man,” of the Dutch fan base. Fans of the Netherlands all wear orange when cheering for their team. Oordt is the maxed out version, a life-long supporter of a national team that has brought him joy and heartbreak. He explains why.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

0:50  - Welcome to all things World Cup 

05:54 -  An Argentinian’s first impression of KC 

19:04 -  Why KC might want to root for the Netherlands during the World Cup 

27:39 - What else is on Blair’s radar

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Hannah Wise, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.   

With the FIFA World Cup opening game less than a month away — and less than five weeks before the first match is played in Kansas City — some recent indicators question the event’s expected size and scope.

Hotel rooms remain available, as do tickets to most games, heightening fans’ frustrations.

On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR (89.3 FM), columnist Vahe Gregorian discusses the latest developments, and KC2026 president Pam Kramer responds to some of the reports as Kansas City prepares for its World Cup close-up.

Fan Fest numbers are strong in Kansas City, Kramer says, and each of the six games is trending toward to sellout as anticipation builds for the world’s biggest sporting event.

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Hannah Wise, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.   

Kansas Citians will be “shocked in a good way” by the FIFA World Cup when it arrives here in June, says Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt.

He should know. He’s been going to games of the world’s most popular sporting event since 1974, when he was 9.

Hunt sat down with SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR (89.3 FM) to discuss his World Cup experience and career in soccer. Hunt played in college at SMU and became one of the driving forces behind the formation of Major League Soccer, which was born after the last time the U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994.

The Hunt family made their wealth in the oil business, and Lamar Hunt founded the American Football League and the Dallas Texans, the forerunner to the Chiefs. But the Hunts also were pioneers in U.S. soccer, and Kansas City likely wouldn’t be part of the World Cup without their influence.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

1:16 - Clak Hunt breaks down why KC will be shocked by World Cup tourism 

12:30 - How this stadium soccer stadium saved Major League Soccer 

14:22 - Why Kansas City won its World Cup host city bid 

15:59 - What else is on Blair’s radar? 

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Hannah Wise, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.   

The draft class is complete. How did the Chiefs fare?

The question ultimately cannot be answered for a few years, but the Chiefs made some bold moves, including turning the draft’s first trade. Columnist Sam McDowell and Chiefs insider Pete Sweeney drill down on all the selections and evaluate the class on SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR (89.3 FM).

From first-round pick Mansoor Delane to the final, surprising selection of quarterback Garrett Nussmeier — both from LSU — we break down where the Chiefs potentially succeeded and where roster work remains.

Also, a final word on the WNBA preseason game played in Kansas City on Monday night, and what it may say about the city’s chances of landing a team in the league.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

0:50  — Speculation season is over, here how some of our mockdrafts played out 

3:08  — The statement the Chiefs made by taking 4 defensive players in a row

14:14 - How the offensive picks from the draft could help the Chiefs struggles

29:56 - What else is on Blair’s radar? 

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Monty Davis, Irvin Zhang, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.   

The first day of NFL Draft and with their two first round picks, the Chiefs concentrated on one side of the ball.

Defense.

They even engineered the draft’s first trade to move up three spots to select cornerback Mansoor Delane of LSU.

On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR (89.3 FM), Chiefs beat writer Pete Sweeney, covering the draft in Pittsburgh, breaks down the Chiefs’ evening, which concluded with their selection of Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods at No. 29.

We also identify the Chiefs’ needs as the draft continues on Friday and Saturday.

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Monty Davis, Irvin Zhang, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.   

More than three years after announcing the quest for a new home for the Royals, the team unveiled plans for a ballpark in downtown. They’ll create an 85-acre stadium district in Kansas City’s Crown Center and Washington Square Park.

In this special edition of SportsBeat KC, the weekly sports podcast of The Star and KCUR (89.3 FM), columnist Vahe Gregorian shares his thoughts on the Royals’ forthcoming new digs.

Kauffman Stadium, in its 54th season, has been a popular home for the Royals. Did principal owner John Sherman get it right with Crown Center?

And now both of the Truman Sports Complex tenants have announced new homes. With the Chiefs moving out of Arrowhead to a site in Wyandotte County, how much will we miss the franchises’ current status as next-door neighbors?

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

0:54  — The downtown ballpark dream has come true. 

10:15  — Why parking situation is on all our minds 

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Monty Davis, Irvin Zhang, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.   

The NFL Draft is near.

The Chiefs hold nine selections over the draft’s three days, with two picks in the first round. It’s the team’s best draft position in years — thanks to a poor finish to last season.

A successful draft would help the Chiefs avoid this kind of draft position in the future.

“You don’t want to be here, but we’ve gotten past that phase, and we’re in it,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. “There’s a good number of picks we’ve got here.”

On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR (89.3 FM), Chiefs insider Pete Sweeney and columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian offer their final pre-draft thoughts, starting with what the Chiefs should do with their first-round picks.

Edge rusher with their first selection? Wide receiver? Cornerback? A tackle for the offensive line? We agree on the positions of need, but not necessarily the players.

It will be a fascinating draft for the Chiefs as they begin the quest to reestablish the dominance they’ve experienced throughout much of the Reid era.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

1:20  — Why we love draft week

17:18  — Who the Chief’s may take in the first round? 

29:12  — The local talent you should keep an eye on during the draft

31:42 - What else is on Blair’s radar? 

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Monty Davis, Irvin Zhang, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.