WEDNESDAY 06/09/2026: One family's arduous, emotional quest for World Cup tickets

Going to a World Cup game, for many, requires hours of sitting in online queues, months of planning and thousands of dollars. Still, for KCUR Health Reporter Noah Taborda, the opportunity is too important to pass up. Plus: Amateur soccer players in Kansas City are hoping to host their own local pickup games with players from other countries.KCUR Health Reporter Noah Taborda spent the last year preparing to travel from Kansas City to Mexico to watch the Colombian national team at the World Cup with his dad and younger brother. It’s taken hours of waiting and researching, and cost thousands of dollars… and they still don’t have tickets. Noah details why, despite all that, family history, national pride and future memories make it all worth it.With the World Cup starting this Thursday, Kansas City is expecting cultural exchange in small businesses, coffee shops, and restaurants. But non-professional soccer players expect to facilitate their own connections with visitors through local pickup games. KCUR's Brandon Azim reports.Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Noah Taborda. It is produced by Byron Love, and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.