Kansas City Prepares for 2026 World Cup and Faith Outreach
In the summer of 2026, Kansas City will look very different. An estimated 650,000 visitors are expected to visit Kansas City over a five- to six-week period for the World Cup event.
Underwriting for this feature was provided by the Horn Law Foundation
There will be six matches played in Kansas City from June 16 to July 11, 2026. (It is estimated that only around 41 % of these attendees will speak English.) All games will be played at Arrowhead, which will temporarily be renamed Kansas City Stadium. The teams competing in Kansas City will be announced on December 5 at an event called the “Final Draw”.
If you have a child or grandchild under the age of 18, you are related to one of the 4.7 million children who played a soccer game last year and may be very excited about this upcoming event. Soccer remains one of the top five youth sports in the country, and in a World Cup year, such as 2026, interest increases even further.
Given this incredible opportunity, an organization called Children’s Evangelistic Ministries, founded in 2004, has launched Energia 2026 with the mission of reaching out to the lost in North America with the gospel using, yes, soccer balls! (At least three of their soccer balls, along with pamphlets, were delivered by the author’s son this month to Brazil while on a mission trip with our church.)
The soccer balls are called “Ball of Many Colors”. Each color on the soccer ball represents a part of the gospel message, so even if you don’t know the language of the country you are in, you can share a simplified version. Gold stands for God. Dark represents the sin of man. Red is the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The clean patch symbolizes our new birth in Christ, and the green patch represents our growth in Him.
Support: One way to Children’s Evangelistic Ministries is to share with your church or small group what they are working to accomplish. And if your church is planning a mission trip, consider bringing some soccer balls along. (They come uninflated.)
Service Opportunity: There will be service opportunities before and leading up to the World Cup. Details have yet to be confirmed.
Future: Founders want to meet with ministry leaders in each of the eleven World Cup Cities. If any Metro Voice News readers have connections in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Housing, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, or Seattle, please reach out to the organization.
Metro Voice Challenge: For just $16 each, you can make an eternal impact on a child’s life. This is the price of an Energia Ball of Many Colors. There are also tracts available in several languages, as well as smaller stress balls. Go to www.childrensevangelisticministries.org to donate.
–Anne Foley Rauth helps nonprofits raise awareness so they can help more people. Share your nonprofit story ideas with her at anne@annerauth.com
Underwriting for this feature was provided by the Horn Law Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is to both support and highlight Kansas City non-profit organizations that provide services to individuals and families who are facing a crisis.
Want to help underwrite features appearing in the Metro Voice and partner in our work supporting the local community? Contact me at dwight @ metrovoicenews.com or call 816-524-4522.
