🎉 Fan Zones
The Kansas City FIFA Fan Festival sets up on the south lawn of the National WWI Museum & Memorial for 18 select dates across June and July — FREE entry with a digital pass, giant LED screens, KC BBQ vendors, and jazz and R&B programming. Plus neighborhood watch parties at Power & Light, the Crossroads, 18th & Vine, and Westport for the days the official festival is dark (notably June 15 and most non-themed days).
WWI Museum & Memorial
Free Digital Pass
18 Days · Themed Periods
Don't have a stadium ticket? You can still watch every match live. The official FIFA Fan Festival broadcasts every single World Cup match on giant outdoor screens — free to attend in most cities. Fan fests feature live entertainment, local food and culture, sponsor activations, and the full match-day atmosphere without the stadium price tag. For fans priced out of the $380–$2,000+ ticket market, the fan fest is the real World Cup experience. Check the venue details below for your city's location, hours, and any registration requirements.
⚠️ Free GA passes filling fast — advance registration required (June 2026): As of June 2026, fans from 125+ countries have registered for the Kansas City Fan Festival. GA passes (25,000/day) do not guarantee entry once capacity is reached — and demand is high. Register now at passes.kc2026.com before your visit. Shows confirmed: Sheryl Crow headlines. Walk-up entry may not be available on sold-out days.
Road closures near WWI Museum Fan Festival (from ~May 17): FIFA Fan Festival construction at the National WWI Museum south lawn began May 4, 2026. Road access around the Memorial area is expected to be restricted from approximately May 17 until the end of the tournament (July 11). Plan to use public transit, designated parking areas, or rideshare drop-off zones rather than driving directly to the venue. Check the official Kansas City host committee site for updated closure maps as the tournament approaches.
Official Fan Festival
Kansas City FIFA Fan Festival
The official FIFA Fan Festival Kansas City takes over the south lawn of the National WWI Museum & Memorial, opposite Union Station — opening for 18 days only (June 11–July 11, 2026), programmed into 5 themed periods. Free digital pass required (capacity 25,000, first-come first-served — premium upgrades available); a digital pass doesn't guarantee entry once capacity is reached. Live broadcasts of every Kansas City match plus US Men's National Team and Final-day fixtures, FIFA legends, KC BBQ vendors, jazz and R&B programming. Closed June 15 and other non-themed days — for those, head to the neighborhood watch zones below. The free Main Street KC Streetcar drops you at Union Station, a 5-minute walk from the gates.
Official FIFA Fan Festival
FIFA Fan Festival Kansas City — National WWI Museum & Memorial
South lawn · 2 Memorial Dr · opposite Union Station
The official Kansas City FIFA Fan Festival opens for
18 select dates only (June 11–July 11, 2026), organized into 5 themed periods around the city's matches and the US Men's National Team:
- Heartland Hello — June 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 (note: June 15 is closed)
- Sports Town USA — June 19, 20, 21
- The World's Game — June 24, 25, 26, 27
- Home Team — July 3, 4, 5
- KC Creates — July 9, 10, 11
Massive LED screens for live match broadcasts, FIFA legends, mascot meet-and-greets, KC BBQ + global food vendors, and live music spotlighting KC's jazz and R&B heritage.
Free digital General Admission pass required (capacity 25,000 — admission not guaranteed at full capacity); paid upgrades: Premium Garden Pass $55 and Legacy Lounge Pass $225 guarantee entry. The free Main Street KC Streetcar terminates at Union Station, a 5-min walk from the south lawn gates.
Dog-friendly on three designated Sundays: June 14, June 21, and July 5 — free but requires separate advance registration. KC is the only 2026 host city running a pet-friendly fan zone day.
18 Days · 5 Themes
FREE Pass Required
All Ages
Capacity 25,000
Live Music
KC BBQ Vendors
🐕 Dog-Friendly (3 Sundays)
WWI Museum & Memorial on Maps ↗
Crossroads Arts District
Crossroads Watch-Party Hub
19th–21st & Main St · Crossroads Arts District
The Crossroads is KC's gallery district and the natural overflow zone when the Fan Festival hits its 25,000 capacity (or on the days it's dark — including June 15). Big screens go up at Boulevard Brewing's tasting room and several Crossroads bars — plus First Friday spillover crowds for any matches that fall on the first Friday of the month (Jun 5, Jul 3). Walkable from downtown via Main Street or the free KC Streetcar.
FREE
Outdoor Screens
→ Free KC Streetcar Crossroads stop · or 10-min walk from Power & Light.
18th & Vine Jazz District
18th & Vine — Jazz, BBQ & Big Screens
18th St & Vine St · 18th & Vine Historic District
The historic 18th & Vine Jazz District — birthplace of Kansas City jazz and home to the American Jazz Museum and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum — runs match-day activations with outdoor screens. The Blue Room, Mutual Musicians Foundation (after-hours jam sessions), and Arthur Bryant's BBQ all anchor the area. The cultural heart of Black Kansas City; expect post-match jam sessions running into the early morning.
FREE
Live Jazz
Historic District
→ 10-min Uber from downtown · or RideKC bus from Union Station.
Country Club Plaza
Country Club Plaza Watch-Party Patios
47th & Broadway · Country Club Plaza
The Country Club Plaza — KC's outdoor Spanish-style shopping district, opened in 1923 as the first US suburban shopping center — is full of restaurant patios that pack out for big matches. Plaza III, Brio, Granfalloon, and several Plaza bars set up outdoor screens. Closest fan zone to the Plaza/Westport hotel cluster; walking distance from the Country Club Plaza streetcar extension.
Patio Screens
Plaza Dining
Walkable
→ Free KC Streetcar Plaza extension · or 15-min Uber from downtown.
Bar Watch Parties
Watch Parties Around Kansas City
Beyond the official fan zones, Kansas City's bar and restaurant scene packs for the World Cup — Sporting Kansas City has built one of MLS's most loyal supporter cultures, and that energy translates straight to FIFA enthusiasm. These districts will be loud and full for every match.
No Other Pub · Power & Light
Patrick Mahomes-backed sports bar in Power & Light with a wall of screens. The default downtown destination for any major match — packs out fast on Argentina, Brazil, USA and Mexico kickoffs.
Tannin Kitchen · Crossroads
Crossroads neighborhood spot with patio screens — quieter daytime crowd, good for European fixtures. Walking distance from the KC Streetcar Crossroads stop.
The Brick · Crossroads
Long-running Crossroads dive bar with multiple TVs and a big back patio — a Sporting KC supporters hangout. Great spot for daytime matches and First Fridays overflow.
Boulevard Brewing Tours & Rec Center · Crossroads
KC's landmark Crossroads venue sets up match-day screenings with food trucks and multiple screens. Family-friendly during the day, packed for marquee matches.
McCoy's Public House · Westport
Westport mainstay brewpub with a generous patio and multiple screens — the Plaza/Westport hotel cluster's natural neighborhood watch spot. Solid food, on-site brewing.
Kelly's Westport Inn · Westport
KC's oldest building (1850) turned Irish bar — Westport's central crossroads. Loud, late, and full of mixed international supporters during the World Cup.
The Phoenix · 18th & Vine area
Live-jazz bar near 18th & Vine running match broadcasts during the day and rolling into jazz sets at night. The cultural after-party spot for any KC fixture.
Granfalloon · Country Club Plaza
Plaza sports bar with two-story patio and a wall of screens. Closest fan-bar option to the Plaza/Westport hotel cluster — easy pre-match staging before the Arrowhead shuttle.
Fan Zone Tips
01The Fan Festival opens only on 18 select dates at the WWI Museum south lawn — NOT every day. Closed days include June 15. Reserve your free digital General Admission pass at passes.kc2026.com (browse FanFest details at kansascityfwc26.com); the pass does NOT guarantee entry once 25,000 capacity is reached, so arrive early for marquee fixtures.
02For days the Fan Festival is dark (June 15, 17, 18, 22, 23, 28-Jul 2, Jul 6-8, Jul 12 onward), head to the neighborhood watch zones — Power & Light bars, the Crossroads, 18th & Vine, Country Club Plaza patios, or Westport.
03For marquee group-stage fixtures expect both the Fan Festival and the downtown bars to fill 90+ minutes before kickoff — arrive early or stage at Boulevard Brewing or Westport and walk in.
04The Fan Festival is outdoor — bring rain gear when summer thunderstorms blow through (most common 3-7 PM). Bars on the surrounding blocks are the natural indoor fallback.
05Hydration is critical — KC summer heat (90°F + humid) is no joke. Cooling stations expected at the Fan Festival; carry a refillable bottle.
06English dominates KC, but every fan zone will skew international during the World Cup — expect Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic and more around the screens. A few useful phrases go a long way (see phrases.html).