The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 11, bringing daily matches featuring teams from around the world. For the first time in history, the tournament is being hosted across three countries (Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.), with 48 national teams competing in 16 stadiums.
One of the host cities is Kansas City, which held its first match on Tuesday: a 3-0 victory by Argentina over Algeria. In anticipation of the influx of visitors, many of whom are Catholic, the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph has partnered with the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas to launch the “OneKC Catholic” initiative, an effort to practice charity and hospitality in four main ways:
- Welcoming & Wayfinding: Strategically placed parish hubs will offer water, rest, and multilingual assistance to fans and travelers.
- Spiritual Outreach: Offering extended hours in select parishes for prayer, liturgies, and multilingual Mass schedules to accommodate international visitors.
- Safe Harbor: Coordinated efforts to combat human trafficking and ensure vulnerable populations are supported and protected with the influx of people.
- Presence: A visible and friendly presence of volunteers and signage that expresses our Catholic Church as a pillar of Kansas City’s welcoming spirit.
As Bishop James V. Johnston noted in a recent article, each of these are “ways we ‘welcome the stranger’ and express the love of Christ in tangible ways as Kansas City, for a few amazing weeks, becomes Soccer City.”
Click here to watch a video featuring Bishop Johnston and Archbishop Shawn McKnight promoting the initiative.