Where to Watch the Matches You Don't Have Tickets For
Kansas City is one of eleven official FIFA Fan Festival host cities for 2026, which means there will be a massive free outdoor watch party running throughout the tournament. Beyond that, the city has a serious soccer culture (Sporting KC and the Kansas City Current both call it home) and the sports bars and breweries know what they are doing. Here is where to go.
Even visitors with match tickets will have days when they want to watch someone else play. Here is the short list of the best places to watch the World Cup in Kansas City, ranked roughly by volume: loudest and biggest first, quieter and more local further down.
1. The FIFA Fan Festival
FIFA has named Kansas City one of the eleven official Fan Festival cities in the United States for 2026. Locations and the full event schedule will be announced by FIFA and the KC Local Organizing Committee closer to kickoff, and the Alpine concierge team will have the details for guests as soon as they are public.
What to expect, based on the 2022 and 2018 Fan Festivals: giant outdoor screens, live music between matches, food trucks, beer gardens, sponsor activations, and a crowd that looks like the UN in jerseys. Fan Festivals are free to enter and open for every match of the tournament, not just the ones being played locally. This is the headline answer if you want the full carnival experience.
2. Power & Light District
The Power & Light District downtown has an outdoor KC Live! block: a covered open-air plaza with a giant screen and eight surrounding bars and restaurants that all pipe the game. When Sporting KC is on a playoff run, this block is absolute chaos. During the World Cup it will be bigger.
Best bars in the block: Howl at the Moon (piano bar, surprisingly great for watching), Tengo Sed Cantina (Mexican, margaritas, loud), Johnny's Tavern (classic sports bar), and PBR Big Sky (the one with mechanical bull, more fun than it sounds).
3. Kelly's Westport Inn
Kelly's is the oldest continuously operating bar in Kansas City, set in a building that dates to 1837. It is a rugby-and-soccer institution with dozens of screens and a rowdy, knowledgeable crowd. For a big England match, you are in the right place. For an Ireland match, you may not get in.
It is a two-minute walk from everything in Westport, which means you can eat dinner at Port Fonda next door and drift over for a late match.
4. The Brass On Baltimore
A local supporter-culture spot for Sporting KC. The Brass is a classic downtown bar with big screens, decent pub food, and staff who know that soccer people like the sound turned up. It is quieter than Power & Light and you can actually hear the announcers.
5. Boulevard Brewing Beer Hall
Kansas City's homegrown craft brewery. The Beer Hall in the Crossroads has giant garage doors, an outdoor patio, a long communal-table setup, and a screen big enough for the whole room. This is the best option if you want a good pint of beer with your match, plus it is walking distance from great food in the Crossroads.
6. Torn Label Brewing
Smaller than Boulevard, and better for it. Torn Label is in the East Crossroads, has a garage-door taproom with a big screen, and draws a younger, friendlier crowd. The IPAs are excellent and the pizza next door (Pizza Bomb) delivers to the taproom.
Watch at the Residence: The Home Field Option
The option nobody writes about: watch at the house.
If you are traveling with a group of six or more, a night at a good sports bar means buying roughly $300 worth of drinks and never quite hearing the commentary. Every Alpine World Cup residence has a full entertainment setup, a proper kitchen, and sofas that were designed for exactly this. The math for a group: order delivery from Joe's, pick up a case of Boulevard on the way home, and turn the living room into a twelve-person watch party.
It is the move. It is always the move. Sports bars are fun for one match. For the fourth match of the trip, the couch wins.
A Few Tips for Match-Viewing in Kansas City
- Group-stage matches are often in the morning. Start times for early matches in the 2026 tournament will stretch Kansas City mornings. A sports bar at 9 a.m. is a vibe. Check the bar opens that early.
- The Fan Festival is for everyone. You do not need a ticket to any match to go to the Fan Festival. It is a public event.
- Rideshare into downtown. Parking during a match day will be a nightmare. The streetcar is free.
- Cell service will be a disaster. In any packed venue, plan to lose signal at kickoff. Agree on a meeting spot before you walk in.
- Tip your bartender well. They are running ten times their normal volume.
Frequently Asked
Yes. Kansas City has been named one of eleven official FIFA Fan Festival host cities for the 2026 World Cup in the United States. Location, hours, and programming will be announced by FIFA and the KC Local Organizing Committee closer to kickoff.
Kelly's Westport Inn, The Brass on Baltimore, Boulevard Brewing Beer Hall, and Torn Label Brewing are the go-to local spots. Power & Light is louder and more tourist-friendly.
Very much so. Sporting KC has been in MLS since 1996 and is one of the most successful franchises in the league. The Kansas City Current play in the NWSL at the first purpose-built women's professional soccer stadium in the world. Soccer is not a new thing here.
For big matches, especially featuring the USA or Mexico, yes. Most KC sports bars take reservations or have a hosted seating area. Call ahead, or ask the Alpine concierge to book for you.
FIFA has not yet published the full schedule. For games played in Kansas City, kickoff times will be posted on the match schedule. For matches in other cities, plan on some morning and early-afternoon kickoffs given the spread across U.S., Canadian, and Mexican host cities.