‘Kick It In CoMo’ campaign aims to draw World Cup fans to Mid-Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau is rolling out a new campaign designed to bring both international and domestic soccer fans to Mid-Missouri ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The initiative, called “Kick It in CoMo,” is meant to boost local businesses and showcase Columbia as a destination for visitors traveling to Kansas City for World Cup matches, according to the press release.
“Kick It in CoMo is our umbrella program to get ready for the FIFA World Cup this summer,” spokeswoman Megan McConachie said. “It covers marketing, promotions, information and collaboration across the Columbia community so we can all get ready together and celebrate together.”
Last month, the bureau said it was considering hosting its own watch parties and festival events. That decision is still undecided, but planning for the World Cup is already underway.
"We're going to kind of wait and see if there are other entities that are interested in dong that themselves," said McConachie.
The nonprofit said a shuttle service from Columbia to Kansas City is not currently in demand.
"It's not something that we have heard any interest in. Typically, an international visitor is going to travel as part of kind of, maybe a larger group," McConachie said.
Kansas City will host six World Cup matches -- including a quarterfinal -- inside a stadium that holds 73,000 fans, according to FIFA. That puts Columbia in a position to benefit from the influx of visitors.
"Any time someone visits, they stay in our hotels, dine in our restaurants, shop in our stores, and all of that has a great impact on the local economy and it helps support local jobs," McConachie said.
Downtown businesses are already hoping soccer fans make the trip.
“I think they’re all going to want to come down and enjoy our culture that we have going on here in downtown,” said Lisa Bartlett, owner of ArtLandish. “There’s a mall in every town, but here we have unique businesses.”
Bartlett recently moved her business to a downtown Ninth Street location in November after spending 15 years in the North Village Arts District. She said the move was driven by a desire to reach more customers.
"We think that this is the kind of happening place when events are going on. So I think, it'll generate a lot of folks coming into town," she said.
To help local businesses take advantage of the World Cup buzz, the Visitors Bureau is launching two new programs: a Kick It in CoMo Toolkit and an Adopt-A-Team program.
“Whether you’re a bar, restaurant, or somewhere that can host a crowd, you can host a watch party and even adopt a team like Argentina or Curaçao," McConachie said. "Fans know that they can head to these few places and you know, hang out with their fellow fans,"
The bureau said the toolkit and team program should be available on its website next month.
Kansas City is expected to welcome about 650,000 visitors during the World Cup, according to McConachie. Officials said they should have a clearer idea of how many of those fans could be stopping in Mid-Missouri after spring break.
“Our proximity to Kansas City, combined with our engaged community, makes Columbia a great destination for travelers from around the world and across the country to visit during the World Cup,” CVB Director Amy Schneider said in a press release.
