Revamping America's Iconic Stadiums for the World Cup
WHO:
USA Today - Pam Kramer, CEO of KC2026, stated, “It is amazing and one of the things we had hoped for was to really showcase to a global audience the vitality of our economy, our culture, the welcoming character of our people.”
USA Today - Temwa Chawinga, a player for Kansas City Current, expressed her thoughts on learning from the men's game to further the women's game.
USA Today - Spain won the 2026 World Cup, defeating defending champion Argentina.
USA Today - Populous is a design and architecture firm based in Kansas City that worked on the stadium preparations.
USA Today - Kelly Holton is the Senior Principal and Brand Activation Director for Populous.
USA Today - Jonathan Mallie is the Senior Principal and Managing Director of the Americas for Populous.
USA Today - Jeff Keas is the Senior Principal and Senior Event Architect for Populous.
USA Today - Pam Kramer is the CEO of KC2026.
USA Today - Tech N9ne performed at Fan Fest during the World Cup.
USA Today - Jason Sudeikis appeared in the World Cup final halftime show as his character, Ted Lasso.
USA Today - Temwa Chawinga, a player for Kansas City Current, was the Coin Toss Assistant for Argentina's opening match.
WHAT:
USA Today - Populous originally considered 50 stadiums as host venues and narrowed it down to 23 for FIFA to finalize the 16 stadiums.
USA Today - An estimated 36,000 fans participated in the Netherlands’ Oranje Fanwalk ahead of their group match against Tunisia.
USA Today - The 2026 World Cup featured an expanded field of 48 teams and included 104 matches, the most ever.
USA Today - The tournament set records for viewership and attendance, with 6.8 million people watching matches in person.
USA Today - Populous prepared 16 stadiums for the World Cup through a process called “overlay.”
USA Today - The KC Heart Gateway, a 65-foot bright red structure, became a recognizable landmark during the tournament.
USA Today - Four wedding proposals occurred under the KC Heart Gateway.
WHERE:
USA Today - The World Cup matches were held across 16 stadiums in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
USA Today - Kansas City was a host city for the World Cup and featured events like Fan Fest.
USA Today - Estadio BBVA is located in Monterrey, Mexico.
USA Today - Estadio Azteca is located in Mexico City.
WHEN:
USA Today - The tournament was awarded to the United States, Canada, and Mexico in June 2018.
USA Today - CPKC Stadium for the Kansas City Current was completed in 2024.
USA Today - The 2026 World Cup took place in the summer of 2026.
WHY:
USA Today - The goal of the World Cup organizers was to grow the love of football across the United States.
HOW:
USA Today - Populous had to cover all sponsorship logos and change stadium names to neutral monikers based on the city, as per FIFA’s guidelines.
USA Today - The overlay process involved adding fencing, tents, generators, trailers, signage, and other elements to existing stadiums.
USA Today - Populous collaborated with FIFA and local officials to design and implement stadium preparations.
USA Today - The architects followed the International Building Code (IBC) to expedite the overlay process.
(UPDATED August 7, 2026 19:52 UTC)
Pam Kramer, the CEO of KC2026, expressed her excitement about showcasing the vitality of the U.S. economy and culture to a global audience, highlighting the welcoming nature of the people. In preparation for the upcoming FIFA event, Populous initially considered 50 stadiums before narrowing it down to 23, from which 16 will be finalized as host venues. Meanwhile, an impressive 36,000 fans took part in the Netherlands’ Oranje Fanwalk ahead of their group match against Tunisia, all while Populous ensured compliance with FIFA's guidelines by covering sponsorship logos and renaming stadiums to neutral titles.
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(UPDATED August 7, 2026 14:18 UTC)
Spain triumphed over defending champion Argentina to win the 2026 World Cup, which featured a record 48 teams and 104 matches, the most ever for the tournament. Populous, a design and architecture firm based in Kansas City, was instrumental in preparing 16 stadiums for the event, collaborating closely with FIFA and local officials to enhance the venues through a process known as "overlay." The tournament not only set records for viewership and attendance, with 6.8 million fans watching in person, but also became a memorable celebration in host cities like Kansas City, where events like Fan Fest and performances by artists such as Tech N9ne took place.