Olathe native named official referee for 2026 World Cup matches. As a teen, he almost quit

from Up To Date · host KCUR Studios

Early in his career, while officiating youth soccer matches in Olathe, Kyle Atkins wanted to quit, but his dad didn’t let him walk away so easily. This summer, you’ll be able to see him on the pitch as an assistant referee during the 2026 FIFA World Cup — after he and his crew get motivated with music and dancing in the locker room.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 29, 2026

Embed this episode

Attribution link and audio player

NOW PLAYING

Olathe native named official referee for 2026 World Cup matches. As a teen, he almost quit

0:00 16:32

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

No similar episodes found.

Similar Podcasts

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Up To Date?

This episode is 16 minutes long.

When was this Up To Date episode published?

This episode was published on April 29, 2026.

Can I download this Up To Date episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.

URL copied to clipboard!