Kansas City was hardly a sure bet to be named that day as one of the host cities for the 2026 World Cup, but Kathy Nelson was confident enough to arrange for one of those big-screen watch parties in the trendy Power & Light District downtown when Fifa confirmed the choices on 16 June.
Nelson, the president of the Kansas City Sports Commission, felt that the city, even though it is the 31st-largest metropolitan area in the US, had made a strong bid. But Fifa had leaked nothing. When Kansas City was picked, the crowd roared. She cried, a little.
