JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Following the conclusion of FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches and events in Kansas City, Governor Mike Kehoe reflected on the impact of the tournament on the State of Missouri and the successful efforts of state agencies that assisted in delivering a safe and memorable experience for residents and hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the globe.
“The World Cup brought the world to Kansas City, providing an unprecedented opportunity to showcase Missouri as an incredible state to visit, live, work, and invest,” said Governor Kehoe. “Missouri’s internationally recognized success was the result of years of planning, the warmth and welcoming spirit of our citizens, and the collaboration of many partners. The entire state made the most of this historic opportunity, proving that Missouri can deliver on the global stage.”
Prioritizing Public Safety
The State of Missouri invested more than $108 million towards security and safety efforts throughout the tournament.
In April, Governor Kehoe signed an executive order activating the Missouri State Emergency Operations Plan, which enabled state agencies to coordinate across jurisdictions to expedite emergency management assistance.
The following Missouri state agencies contributed to public safety and emergency management efforts throughout the tournament:
Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS)
Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP)
State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA)
Missouri National Guard (MONG)
Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT)
Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH)
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS)
“To every local, state, and federal first responder and law enforcement officer, citizen-soldier, and state agency team member who contributed to the safety and success of hosting events of this magnitude — thank you. By working together toward a common mission, you showed the world the professionalism and excellence of our public safety and emergency management teams,” said Governor Kehoe.
Key Highlights:
The Missouri Disaster Medical Assistance Team (MO DMAT-1) provided medical assistance and logistics support at Fan Fest and Arrowhead Stadium, embedded interpreters to assist with translation as needed, and worked with the DMH’s Behavioral Health Strike Team to implement psychological first aid. A total of 277 patients were treated by MO DMAT-1 over 20 days.
More than 15 federal, state, and volunteer agencies were represented at the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), with a combined total of over 140 personnel providing support and coordination throughout the event. This included members of the Region C and Region I Incident Support Teams. In addition to onsite partners at the SEOC, DPS/SEMA had forward-facing staff embedded in Kansas City and at the Regional Coordination Center, serving as liaison officers and supporting local, state, and federal coordination.
Over 80 law enforcement agencies from Missouri and six other states assisted the Kansas City Missouri Police Department with highly coordinated operations.
During World Cup activities, Missouri’s public safety teams also demonstrated their ability to simultaneously respond with speed and professionalism to critical incidents ranging from the skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, that killed 12 people, weeks of severe storms and unprecedented flash flooding that required massive swift-water rescue operations, and a MONG helicopter evacuation of hundreds of stranded campers.
Driving Economic Development Opportunity
Governor Kehoe and state economic development officials, including the Missouri Department of Economic Development, leveraged matches in Kansas City to amplify Missouri’s global economic impact and make the strategic case for further investment and expansion within Missouri.
“We didn’t just welcome soccer fans to Missouri — we welcomed global business and government leaders. When visiting with companies, we made it clear that Missouri’s skilled workforce, central location, and pro-business climate make our state the ideal place to invest and grow a business,” said Governor Kehoe.
Because the Kansas City region served as the team base camp for four countries and hosted six matches, including a quarter-final, the Governor was able to engage with government and business leaders from across the nation and world.
The meetings served a dual strategy: attracting new domestic and international enterprises to the state while pitching further expansion opportunities to companies that already call Missouri home.
The meetings focused on building relationships with companies in key Missouri industries — including advanced manufacturing and energy, food solutions and agriculture technology, biosciences, and distribution and logistics — aiming to translate the tournament’s temporary economic footprint into long-term statewide growth.
Key Highlights:
Relationship Building: Strengthened international relationships through meetings with ambassadors from Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Argentina.
Global Pitch: Positioned Missouri as an innovative hub with a competitive cost of doing business, a strong skilled workforce, and a high quality of life.
Statewide Impact: Fostered relationships expected to drive future investments not just in the Kansas City region, but throughout rural and urban communities across Missouri.
By converting the influx of domestic and international visitors into concrete economic development opportunities, Governor Kehoe’s administration continues to prioritize economic development as a cornerstone of his administration.