Rockhurst University Students, Faculty, Alumni Soak in World Cup in KC

June 16 marks the first of the 2026 World Cup matches played in Kansas City, the culmination in some ways of months - make that years - of hype following the announcement that the city would serve as a host city for the tournament.

Alongside visitors from around the world coming to Kansas City to watch the games live and soak in the atmosphere at FIFA Fan Festival at Liberty Memorial are members of the Rockhurst University campus community, many of whom are equally fired up to cheer on their team.

Juan Rosero Bautista, a junior defender for the Hawks men's soccer team, says he's watching his native Colombia in the tournament, and plans to attend Fan Fest in July. It will be the second tournament he's experienced in person.

"My favorite memory about the World Cup is when I went to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil with my dad to watch Colombia play after 16 years of not being a part of the tournament," he said. "I am excited to see all the different people that will be in KC this summer and all the games that the city is hosting. Hopefully, I get to see Colombia playing in KC for the round of 32 if they qualify in first place."

Diego Gutierrez, '05, '14 EMBA, also grew up a soccer fan in Colombia. He moved to the U.S. and played at Rockhurst before being drafted to the Kansas City Wizards in the early days of Major League Soccer. Throughout the summer, he's wearing several hats - as a former player, broadcaster and marketing expert - as a special commentator for Fox 4 TV in Kansas City, talking all aspects of the tournament and its impact.

"That is the part that was really appealing to me," he said of the opportunity. "Being able to give voice and tell the story of something that could be transformative to the community."

Brendan Sweetman, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, said he will be glued to the tournament. A lifelong soccer fan who grew up in Ireland, Sweetman can rattle off an extensive list of his favorite soccer memories - like the 1974 World Cup, which he said still comes up in conversations with colleagues abroad. Sweetman said he has tickets to see several matches live and plans to catch every match.

"There is no clear favorite this time around, so I will watch to see which teams show early promise. I am interested to see how the format with 48 teams works in practice, given that only 16 will be eliminated after the group stages," he said. "I am also looking forward to seeing how the USA and England perform."

Originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, Sydney Schmidt, a junior defender on the Rockhurst women's soccer team, said this will be her first summer in Kansas City. She said she's excited to take part in the free activities - and, hopefully, stumbling upon a few - around town during the tournament.

"I have always watched the World Cup since I can remember, so it is surreal that it is being played in KC and at a stadium that I have been to," she said. "I feel like watching it on TV seems like such a faraway thing, but being able to experience it here is so awesome."

Schmidt's teammate, Mia Martin, will be helping firsthand through her summer internship with Sporting KC. As part of her work, she will be on the ground, assisting with events at the FIFA Fan Festival. She said the opportunity to host matches in the tournament proves the extent to which soccer culture in the U.S., and especially in Kansas City, has grown.

"KC has such a strong soccer culture already, and it feels like the World Cup is coming to a place in the U.S. that truly embraces the sport," she said.