With 50 days to go until the world’s biggest sporting event plays its first match in Kansas City, Sporting KC announced today a new partnership campaign celebrating the Soccer Capital of America® with co-branded activations launching across the region in the buildup to global soccer fans arriving in the region this summer.
“Just like all of us at Sporting Kansas City, our portfolio of corporate partners are also incredibly excited to maximize this historic opportunity to showcase the Soccer Capital of America on a global stage,” said Sporting Kansas City Vice President of Corporate Partnerships Jon Moses. “We are thrilled to be able to offer a bespoke platform that provides partners with a highly valuable asset in the Soccer Capital of America IP as part of a strategic creative campaign that can be fully customized for activations which not only promote our partnerships, but also capture the civic pride we share in Kansas City and our collective passion for continuing to grow the sport of soccer together.”
- Price Chopper will host a series of “Kickoff to the Cup” family-friendly events from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 30 in Lee’s Summit (937 NE Woods Chapel Rd.), June 7 in Overland Park (7201 W. 151st St.) and June 13 in Lenexa (19601 W. 101st St.) featuring SKC giveaways, enter-to-win contests and ticket offers as well as a mascot appearance and activities such as face painting and balloon artists.
- Central Bank, which has launched a limited-edition Soccer Capital of America® debit card, is teaming up with Sporting Style for pop-up shops inside 11 different branches beginning May 1 for fans to browse Soccer Capital of America® merchandise from jerseys and hats to scarves and collectibles. Visit SoccerCapitalKC.com for upcoming pop-up dates and locations.
- UMB will commission a live mural experience, led by local artist Phil “Sike Style” Shafer and supported by supply donations from Westlake Ace Hardware, throughout Soccer Capital Summer at Sporting Park. Designed to create a lasting visual legacy, the final artwork will be unveiled on July 22 during Sporting KC’s Soccer Capital of America® theme night presented by UMB.
- Russell Stover Chocolates, the largest manufacturer of boxed chocolates in the United States, has produced a heart-shaped Soccer Capital of America® gift box filled with individually wrapped Crispies and Honey Caramels in Milk Chocolate. The limited-edition box will be available to purchase exclusively in Kansas City at Sporting Park on Sporting KC gamedays, select KC retailers, Russell Stover Chocolates retail stores located at 1300 Village West Pkwy near Sporting Park and at 10100 Shawnee Mission Pkwy in Merriam, KS and russellstover.com.
- Fans are invited to join Parisi Coffee for the unveiling of their new Limited Release Official Soccer Capital of America® Coffee, which will launch with a special event featuring free hot and cold brew samples from 4-6 p.m. on May 7 at the Parisi Café inside Union Station. Proudly roasted in Kansas City and crafted with notes of brown sugar, dark fruit and citrus, the blend will be available for purchase online and in Parisi cafes.
- Nissan has designed a special Soccer Capital of America® wrap for their 2026 Nissan Rogue and Sporting Kansas City’s street team will showcase the SUV at community events across the region, including Sporting Kansas City home games at Sporting Park as well as youth soccer programming, select partnership activations and other fan development initiatives throughout the summer.
Numerous additional Sporting Kansas City partners – including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, Coca-Cola, CORE Equipment, Great Clips, Hollywood Casino, Hotel Kansas City, Planet Fitness Kansas City and Tito’s Handmade Vodka – are also participating in the Soccer Capital of America® campaign with a wide variety of activations ranging from co-branded rally towels to fan engagement sweepstakes.
The Soccer Capital of America® platform also provides Sporting Kansas City partners with an opportunity to be included in the club’s “Soccer Capital Summer” series of events and experiences, highlighted by watch parties and concerts at Sporting Park. The festivities are free to attend for fans of all ages with advance registration required and partners will activate on the 90,000 square-foot Sporting Plaza, which now features a 47-foot state-of-the-art video screen above a live entertainment stage as well as enhanced entry gates as part of more than $10 million in upgrades and improvements.
