Argentina scouts Kansas City for World Cup base camp ahead of 2026 tournament

The reigning world champions will train at Sporting KC's Performance Center and stay at the historic Hotel Savoy as the city emerges as a hub for 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations.

Share

Add us on Google by Editorial Team Jun. 9, 2026

The defending World Cup champions have picked their home away from home. Argentina will set up its 2026 FIFA World Cup base camp in Kansas City, training at the Sporting KC Performance Center as Lionel Messi and company prepare to defend the title they won in Qatar.

Kansas City is shaping up to be something of a base camp capital for the expanded 48-team tournament. Four national teams will call the city home during the competition.

Why Kansas City, and why this facility

The Sporting KC Performance Center has been operational since January 2018. It features five soccer fields and advanced performance laboratories, including hyperbaric chambers and cryotherapy units, built specifically for elite athletes.

Advertisement

Beyond the training grounds, Argentina will reside at the Hotel Savoy in Kansas City. The historic property gives the squad a centralized living arrangement, keeping players and coaching staff in close proximity during the group-stage schedule.

Argentina was among the early commitments after the December 2025 final draw, with FIFA finalizing team base camps around May 25, 2026.

The group-stage gauntlet

Argentina’s path to defending the title begins on June 16 against Algeria. That’s followed by a match against Austria on June 22 and a final group-stage fixture against Jordan on June 27. The games will be split between Kansas City and Dallas.

The 2026 World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams, up from the 32-team format that’s been standard since 1998, competing across 80 matches and 16 venues spread across the US, Mexico, and Canada.

Kansas City’s quiet emergence as a World Cup hub

Kansas City hosting four national teams is a remarkable development for a city that doesn’t always land at the top of the conversation when Americans think about soccer destinations. The Argentine delegation favored Kansas City over other major cities such as Dallas and Miami to ensure a stable and effective preparation environment leading up to the tournament.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.