KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Thousands of passionate soccer fans from across the world will arrive in the Kansas City area during the summer of 2026 to cheer on their country in the FIFA 2026 World Cup.
While Kansas City-area residents and businesses gear up for the travel and tourism opportunity, event organizers are working to make sure fans will be able to celebrate safely.
Last week, federal lawmakers upped their effort to find $625 million in funding for the 11 World Cup host cities — including Kansas City.
On Monday, KC2026, the local group organizing the region’s planning for the matches, announced Kyle Postell as its pick to help coordinate that security footprint.
The group said Postell, with his 13 years of experience with the U.S. Secret Service, has worked in “critical infrastructure protection efforts" and “conducted comprehensive vulnerability assessments,” among other projects.
Postell is credited with helping to manage large-scale, high-profile security operations such as the United Nations General Assembly.
KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer, who met with federal lawmakers earlier this month in Washington D.C., said his national and international major event experience makes him “an invaluable asset” in planning efforts.
Thrilled to be in Washington, D.C. this week connecting with members of the Missouri and Kansas delegations. KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer had productive meetings on the importance of safety and security for the FIFA World Cup™ 2026! #WeAreKansasCity #WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/PfU2uFcPqc
— FIFA World Cup 26 Kansas City (@FWC26KansasCity) December 6, 2024
“His expertise in safeguarding critical infrastructure and his proven ability to collaborate with local, state and federal agencies for more than 175 events will be vital to delivering a safe, seamless and best-in-class event," Kramer said.
In October, KSHB 41 News reporter Tod Palmer spoke with Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department Capt. Abigail Martinez about some of the challenges of planning security for the World Cup. Martinez helps lead KCPD’s Events and Special Projects Unit.
“Being able to bring all of those resources in — asking state and federal partners to bring in equipment that we don't have, resources that we don't have, whether that be people or equipment — just coordinating all of that, and for the length of time that we'll need it, I think that that's probably the biggest challenge,” she said in October.
—
