Kansas

‘You could feel World Cup was there’: KC2026 CEO provides update on Kansas City’s World Cup efforts

Published

1 year ago

December 18, 2024

‘You could feel World Cup was there’: KC2026 CEO provides update on Kansas City’s World Cup efforts

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Thirty years ago, Pam Kramer was a rising star executive leading high-profile campaigns for Kansas City-based Sprint — and not all that familiar with soccer.

“I didn’t know much about the World Cup — and it was Sprint’s really big, first global sponsorship — so I had the opportunity to travel to all nine U.S. host cities (and) saw every U.S. team match” Kramer said Wednesday during an interview at Visit KC’s downtown office. “It was extraordinary — the celebration, the excitement, the enthusiasm. Even in cities like LA and New York, you could feel that the World Cup was there.”

Now, Kramer serves as CEO of KC2026 — the nonprofit tasked with preparing Kansas City to step into the World Cup spotlight in 18 months as the host of six World Cup games, including a quarterfinal, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

RELATED | Renovations underway at Arrowhead, which passes 1st test as soccer venue

“We have really strong momentum, and it’s built on the team, right?” said Kramer, who took the KC2026 reins in mid-July. “We’ve gone from a staff of two to a staff of 11 — and a few more starting after the first of the year — and they’re really high-achieving, high-performing people in transportation and marketing and safety and security.”

Chris Morrison/KSHB

KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer provided an update Wednesday on Kansas City’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup when GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium will host six World Cup games in 18 months.

Of course, Kramer and the KC2026 team is tasked with more than organizing a month-long series of events, including the Fan Fest that was announced in August, and moving people around the region.

City and soccer officials have promised a transformational experience for the region.

WATCH | ‘Welcoming the World: How KC Became a Host City’

Welcoming the Word: How Kansas City became a World Cup host city

“When you hear legacy, you think sticks and bricks — Centennial Park, something like that in Atlanta,” Kramer said. “For us, legacy is more about sustained and long-term impact. … That could end up being some sort of physical project or idea. But for us, legacy is more about creating capacity, building workforce, teaching people how to operate or showing that we can operate regionally, and creating a blueprint for how to do that.”

Kramer said she’s well aware that any decisions KC2026 make also have to work for Kansas City’s residents.

“The transportation plan starts with the people who are already here,” she said. “We want people not only to be able to get to work and do the things that they typically do, but also to engage with the World Cup.”

Kramer said Kansas City will be the first host city to announce its bus procurement next month, a huge step with FIFA and the other host cities also likely to be searching for buses ahead of the World Cup.

“We’ll more than double the capacity that we currently have in the city,” she said. “We’re going to be the first host city to go to market with our bus procurement, so certainly leading in that way.”

RELATED | Fan parking at Arrowhead may be nixed for World Cup

KC2026 also announced a plan for FIFA Fan Fest four months ago, so the organization has hit some major milestones thanks to “universal support” from local and state officials across Missouri and Kansas.

But Kramer said now is not the time to take her foot off the gas.

“We are far better prepared because of that universal support, both from a funding standpoint and preparation standpoint, but we still have a lot to do,” she said. “I mean — 539 days — I feel like we’re leading the host cities in many areas, but I would never say there’s not more work to do.”

With a chance to welcome the world, Kramer is also confident Kansas City will rise to meet and embrace the moment.

“It’s hard to watch the World Cup and not become a soccer fan and not get swept up in the enthusiasm,” she said. “I saw Brazil play and their fans were so joyful.”

World Cup qualifying will continue until March 2026

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KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County. Share your story idea with Tod.

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Kansas

IU football lands Kansas State transfer edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi

Published

11 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

IU football lands Kansas State transfer edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi

Indiana’s portal haul continued to grow Sunday as multiple outlets reported the addition of Kansas State edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi.

Osunsanmi has played in 36 games over the last four years and has 8.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. Most of that production came over the last two seasons. He has a total of 47 QB pressures during his college career.

In 2025 he played in six games and had 20 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. He suffered a season-ending injury in October.

He saw action in all 13 games in 2024 as a reserve defensive end and on special teams, recording 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble over 303 defensive snaps and 31 special teams plays.

In 2023 he saw time in all 13 games as a reserve linebacker, a rush end on passing downs and on special teams. He was tied for team-high honors with five tackles on kickoff coverage.

He played in four games in 2022 and preserved his redshirt.

The 6-foot-3 and 250-pound Osunsanmi has one year of eligibility remaining.

The Wichita, Kan. product (Wichita East H.S.) was regarded as the 232nd-best overall player in the nation for the Class of 2022 by 247Sports.

Osunsanmi will help fill the void left by outgoing edge rushers Mikail Kamara, Kellan Wyatt and Stephen Daley.

More transfer portal information:

For complete coverage of IU football recruiting, GO HERE.

The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

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Kansas football transfer portal tracker: Jan. 4 developments for KU

Published

23 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

Kansas football transfer portal tracker: Jan. 4 developments for KU

LAWRENCE — The Division I transfer portal window for college football is open from Jan. 2 through Jan. 16, and that means Sunday is another chance for the Kansas football program to shape its roster.

The Jayhawks already gained one public addition earlier this offseason in Grand Valley State transfer Jibriel Conde — whose signing was announced Dec. 4. Conde, who is making the jump up from Division II, is a 247Sports-rated three-star defensive lineman in the portal and is listed by KU as a defensive tackle. On Saturday, a number of current Kansas players — including redshirt freshman quarterback Isaiah Marshall, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Keaton Kubecka and redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Blake Herold — also outlined in social media posts on X that they are locked in with the program for the 2026 season.

Marshall is set to compete for the starting quarterback job next season. Kubecka has the chance to step up into a more significant role at wide receiver. Herold is in line to be a key part of Kansas’ defensive line.

Those positives, though, don’t outweigh the fact that there has been a sizable group of players who have revealed their intentions to transfer away. Looking overall, when it comes to those whose decisions became public before and after the portal opened, the significant names to know include redshirt senior safety Lyrik Rawls, redshirt junior linebacker Trey Lathan and freshman quarterback David McComb. Lathan led KU in tackles in 2025.

Check in here for more updates during this transfer portal window about a KU team that finished 5-7 during the 2025 season, with transfer ratings as outlined by 247Sports.

Kansas football transfer portal additions

Jibriel Conde (3-star defensive lineman from Grand Valley State) — KU lists him as a defensive tackle

Kansas football transfer portal departures

Joseph Sipp Jr. (linebacker)

Jacoby Davis (cornerback)

Dylan Brooks (defensive end)

Jaidyn Doss (wide receiver)

Carter Lavrusky (offensive lineman)

Trey Lathan (linebacker)

Tyler Mercer (offensive lineman)

Harry Stewart III (running back)

Caleb Redd (3-star edge) — KU lists him as a defensive end

Aundre Gibson (3-star cornerback)

David McComb (3-star quarterback)

Kene Anene (3-star interior offensive lineman) — KU lists him as an offensive lineman

Laquan Robinson (3-star safety)

Jameel Croft Jr. (3-star cornerback)

Logan Brantley (3-star linebacker)

Greydon Grimes (3-star offensive tackle) — KU lists him as an offensive lineman

Jon Jon Kamara (3-star linebacker)

Lyrik Rawls (3-star safety)

Damani Maxson (3-star safety)

Jaden Hamm (tight end)

Bryce Cohoon (wide receiver)

JaCorey Stewart (linebacker)

Johnny Thompson Jr. (running back)

Efren Jasso (punter)

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

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