Midwest
World Cup demand sparks lodging scramble in Kansas City
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Kansas City, MO – Kansas City is preparing for a surge of visitors as it gets ready to host World Cup matches this summer, with hotel availability and short-term rentals already tightening months before the first game kicks off.
Tourism officials estimate hundreds of thousands of visitors could pass through the metro during the tournament, while the city has roughly 36,000 hotel rooms. Some of those rooms are under contract with FIFA and unavailable to the general public, adding pressure to an already competitive lodging market.
That demand is pushing some locals to take unusual steps. Adam Kinner, a short-term rental host who owns multiple properties in the Kansas City area, says he even plans to rent out his own home during the World Cup and move in with his parents.
FIFA RECEIVES RECORD 500 MILLION TICKETS REQUESTS FOR 2026 WORLD CUP
Short-term rental properties are booking up in the Kansas City area ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Olivianna Calmes)
“I will actually be moving back into my parents’ basement,” Kinner told FOX. “The opportunity is just so large here that it would be silly not to take advantage of it.”
STATE DEPT TO START ROLLING OUT FIFA PASS FOR FOREIGN SOCCER FANS LOOKING TO ATTEND WORLD CUP IN US
President and CEO for Visit Kansas City and the Kansas City Sports Commission, Kathy Nelson, says the city has been preparing for this moment for years and is closely monitoring hotel capacity as bookings accelerate.
“The energy, the excitement, the anticipation is unbelievable,” Nelson said. “Everyone’s about to show up on our doorstep.”
A map highlights cities selected to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Olivianna Calmes)
Nelson says Kansas City is one of the smallest host cities in the World Cup lineup, alongside major destinations like New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, but officials are confident visitors will spread out across the region to find places to stay.
STATE DEPARTMENT LISTS MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS IN ADDITION TO WORLD CUP, OLYMPICS EXEMPT FROM TRUMP’S VISA BAN
New hotel development is also racing the clock. A 45-room boutique hotel called River Market Hotel is set to open this spring, just weeks before matches begin. The hotel’s managing member, Mike Heitman, says the timing adds pressure but also opportunity.
Hotel construction continues in Kansas City’s River Market area as the region prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Olivianna Calmes)
“It’s exciting and scary at the same time,” Heitman said. “There’s a good chance we will have been open by just a week or two.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Kansas City will host six World Cup matches at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, including group stage games, a knockout round, and a quarterfinal. Tourism officials estimate the event could bring more than $600 million in economic impact to the region, making it the largest tourism event the city has ever hosted.
Read the full article from Here
Illinois
Weather service assessing damage across Iowa, Illinois and Missouri
The National Weather Service has teams of storm surveryors in the field April 18 investigating several reports of severe storms and tornado touch downs across eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and northeast Missouri.
According to the weather service’s website, windgusts of up to 60 to 70 mph along with teacup-sized hail and several tornadoes were reported April 17.
Many homes and outbuildings were damaged, trees were uprooted and power lines were downed in Lena, Illinois, where the most significant damage occurred, the site pointed out.
Very strong winds also were reported near Washington, Iowa, and Colmar, Illinois, where several outbuildings and grain bins were destroyed.
The weather service received reports of confirmed and possible tornadoes in the areas of Lena, Pecatonica, Shirland, Rockton, Roscoe and Capron.
The teams will be assessing damage this weekend into next week along with county emergency management teams to determine what types of storms occurred and their paths.
Dozens of power outages were reported, as well.
As of the afternoon of April 18, ComEd was reporting 85 active power outages across northern Illinois, down from 241 on April 17, and 6,751 customers affected, down from more than 18,000.
The bulk of those outages and the most customers impacted are concentrated in Jo Daviess and Stephenson counties.
Indiana
Projecting the Indiana Fever’s 2026 Starting Lineup
The start of training camp officially marks the beginning of the 2026 WNBA season. The Indiana Fever were fairly quiet during free agency after successfully retaining most of their top-tier talent such as Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, Lexie Hull, and Sophie Cunningham. Though they still managed to add a few solid pieces to further stack their depth.
Last season the Fever made an impressive postseason run despite facing multiple injuries, particularly in the backcourt. The front office clearly prioritized guard depth as a result, as well as looking to upgrade at the power forward position.
The Fever brass aimed to shore up any defensive deficiencies on the perimeter in the draft by adding guard Raven Johnson out of South Carolina, who brings a reputation as a defensive stopper. As for bolstering the frontcourt, to play alongside, and even provide some relief for Aliyah Boston, newly acquired 6-foot-4 Monique Billings and veteran forward Myisha Hines-Allen fit the bill. Indiana also picked up another solid player in Tyasha Harris at the guard position to provide backcourt depth and relieve pressure on Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark.
As for the starting lineup, here’s who the Indiana Fever are projected to run with:
Caitlin Clark, Guard
This comes as no surprise, but Clark will look to lead the way for the Fever in one of the two starting guard roles. Coming off of a season riddled with injuries, her return is highly anticipated. In true Clark fashion, she showed positive signs of production during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers where she led Team USA in assists and points.
Clark is expected to return to form in 2026. She provides speed in transition, is a deep threat from beyond the arc, and is elite at setting up her teammates. The only thing standing in the way of a productive season for Clark is remaining healthy for the duration of the season.
Kelsey Mitchell, Guard
Re-signing Kelsey Mitchell was yet again the main offseason priority for the Fever and they did just that. Coming off of a career year, Mitchell will be a key component in the Fever reaching a championship. She averaged 20.2 points per game last season and carried the team on her back during Clark’s absence.
As a premier scoring guard, she complements Clark’s game well and when the two are on the floor together, they’re easily the most explosive backcourt in the entire WNBA. Mitchell has exceptional speed and is a gifted isolation scorer. Her ability to quickly cut and drive to the rim makes her a nightmare for opposing teams to defend and contributed to her earning a 2025 All-WNBA First Team selection.
Mitchell is one of the most dangerous clutch situation players in the league making her a stellar weapon for the Fever.
Lexie Hull, Forward
Entering her fifth WNBA season, all with the Fever, no other player on the roster has grown as much as Lexie Hull. Her steady development has made her a key piece and earned her a starting role in the rotation as last season progressed. Listed as a guard, her defense and versatility has allowed her to frequently fill the role of small forward. She impacts the game on both ends of the floor and saw career highs in 2025 in points per game (7.2), rebounds per game (4.3), assists per game (1.8) and steals per game (1.2).
Her impactful instincts even contributed to her being near the top of the WNBA in offensive fouls drawn last season. With her high-percentage shooting from beyond the arc, solid perimeter defense, and elite hustle, Hull fills the wing role nicely for the Fever.
Monique Billings, Forward
Heading into the 2026 season, the Fever desperately needed to add talented size up front to complement Aliyah Boston’s skill set. With the departure of veteran Natasha Howard in free agency, the Fever acquired their likely next starting power forward in Monique Billings.
Billings is a strong finisher around the basket, has soft hands, runs the floor well, and is adept at screening for guards. She can also defend multiple positions and is a more than capable rebounder. Billings checks all of the boxes of a needed component for Indiana.
Aliyah Boston, Center
After making WNBA history with a record contract, Aliyah Boston looks to continue to elevate her game. Boston has quickly ascended as one of the league’s biggest threats in the middle of the floor. What makes this season even more promising for Boston is the dominant performances she put on display during Unrivaled.
She’s in peak physical shape, faster and has worked on her three-point shooting – an area she committed herself to improving on in the offseason. The three-time All-Star has already established herself as a force on the block due to her combination of size and footwork. Her step-through moves have increased her efficiency in scoring under the basket.
Boston seems poised to have the best season of her career in 2026.
Follow
Iowa
5 people wounded in shooting near University of Iowa campus, including 3 students
Five people were shot and injured at an Iowa City pedestrian mall near the University of Iowa campus overnight, police said Sunday. Students from the university were among the injured, according to school officials.
The Iowa City Police Department responded to a report of a large fight in the 100 Block of East College Street at 1:46 a.m. early Sunday, the department said in a news release. Arriving officers heard gunfire.
Multiple victims were hospitalized, police said. Police confirmed to CBS News that one person was in critical condition, while the other four victims are stable.
University of Iowa President Barb Wilson said in a statement that three students were among those shot. None of the victims has been publicly identified.
No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. Police said they are seeking information about five “persons of interest associated with this shooting.” The university also shared the request for information.
The pedestrian mall was closed for several hours and reopened Sunday afternoon.
-
Florida51 seconds agoSouth Florida faith leaders call for Miami mental health center to finally open
-
Georgia7 minutes ago
Georgia receiver and draft prospect Zachariah Branch arrested for misdemeanor obstruction
-
Hawaii13 minutes agoKanakaʻole, Zane ʻohana transform Hawaiian cultural practices into captivating visual arts | Maui Now
-
Idaho19 minutes ago‘Unrelenting’: Statehouse reporters recap 2026 legislative session in Idaho Falls – East Idaho News
-
Illinois25 minutes ago
Weather service assessing damage across Iowa, Illinois and Missouri
-
Indiana31 minutes agoProjecting the Indiana Fever’s 2026 Starting Lineup
-
Iowa37 minutes ago5 people wounded in shooting near University of Iowa campus, including 3 students
-
Kansas43 minutes agoKansas Governor signs Caleb’s Law, targeting online sextortion of minors