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Renderings for Arrowhead Stadium’s 2026 World Cup plan in Kansas City, Mo., account for the modifications required by FIFA, which include expanding the width of the playing surface.
JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri officials are in the hunt for a place to house more than 100 highway patrol troopers for over a month when hundreds of thousands of international soccer fans descend on the state in 2026.
As part of the security plans being crafted for the World Cup matches, the Missouri Highway Patrol has asked lodging companies to submit bids for at least 57 rooms within 20 miles of Arrowhead Stadium, which will host six games.
In the wake of a deadly New Year’s Eve terrorist attack on a crowd of revelers in New Orleans and a truck explosion in Las Vegas, security has become a focal point for large gatherings.
“To help ensure a safe and successful event, the planning process has begun for law enforcement agencies as well as other affected entities,” patrol spokesman Lt. Eric Brown told the Post-Dispatch.
In December, organizers announced Kyle Postell as their pick to lead overall security measures for the event.
Postell has 13 years of experience with the Secret Service, with a background in both physical and cybersecurity.
Postell has also directed safety operations for U.S. and foreign dignitaries in major American and international events, the group said.
Brown said the highway patrol, which currently has 1,127 sworn officers, will be working under the direction of the Kansas City Police Department to provide security for an estimated 650,000 visiting fans.
“The patrol will be responsible for our normal duties in the area. Specific detail assignments and the number of patrol personnel who will be assigned have not been made at this time,” he said.
A cost estimate for the lodging is not yet available, but an economic analysis of the event by Kansas lawmakers shows the average daily cost of a hotel room will be about $300. That would put the price tag for the troopers’ lodging at about $1 million.
It would mark another outlay of spending by state government in support of the games.
For example, while Kansas City will be hosting matches, St. Louis could serve as a base camp for an international club. State economic development officials have requested $3 million to “inspire visitation to Missouri as part of the World Cup experience.”
According to preliminary budget documents filed in October, the Missouri Department of Transportation wants $6.2 million to add frequency to the number of daily trips on Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner, which connects St. Louis and Kansas City.
That future spending comes on top of the more than $52 million approved last year for improvements designed to make the home of the Kansas City Chiefs more soccer friendly and for parking upgrades near World Cup event sites.
According to bidding documents, the highway patrol wants a lodging facility from June 14, 2026, to July 12, 2026.
“The contractor’s lodging facility must provide, at a minimum, 114 beds in a single building or complex with semi-private sleeping accommodations,” the request notes.
In addition, the facility must have laundry facilities on-site for a minimum of 114 patrol personnel
In addition, the hotel must have at least 120 parking spaces for patrol vehicles and areas where buses, box trucks and large command vehicles can be maneuvered.
They also want space for dogs.
“It is highly desirable that the contractor’s facility provide a space within the lodging facility to store trained law enforcement K9 assets,” the request said.
View life in St. Louis through the Post-Dispatch photographers’ lenses. Edited by Jenna Jones.
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Renderings for Arrowhead Stadium’s 2026 World Cup plan in Kansas City, Mo., account for the modifications required by FIFA, which include expanding the width of the playing surface.
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