MORGAN MOBLEY, KMBC NINE NEWS MORGAN. THANK YOU TOMORROW NIGHT. LIONEL MESSI, ARGUABLY ONE OF THE GREATEST SOCCER PLAYERS OF ALL TIME, WILL TAKE THE PITCH AT ARROWHEAD STADIUM TO TAKE ON SPORTING KC. IT’S THE FIRST TIME SPORTING IS PLAYING AT ARROWHEAD SINCE 2010. MATCH ALSO COMES ON THE 28TH ANNIVERSARY OF KC’S INAUGURAL MLS MATCH. BUT ALL THE FANFARE ASIDE, SPORTING PLAYERS KNOW THEY STILL HAVE A MATCH TO WIN. WE HAVE TO JUST PUT IN OUR HEAD THAT IT’S UM, IT’S A NORMAL GAME AND YOU HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND BE YOURSELF AND PLAY YOUR OWN GAME, BUT WE ARE ALSO NOT STUPID. WE KNOW WHAT MESSI CAN DO AND THESE GUYS CAN DO, SO WE JUST HAVE TO BE FOCUSED AND LOCKED IN. UH, EVEN MORE THAN THAN USUALLY THE HUGE CROWD TOMORROW AT ARROWHEAD TO SEE SPORTING AND MESSI IS A BIT OF A DRESS REHEARSAL, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT. FOR THE UPCOMING WORLD CUP MATCHES IN KANSAS CITY IN TWO YEARS, KMBC NINE S MARTIN AUGUSTINE IS LIVE WITH THAT PART OF THE STORY. HI, MARTIN. YEAH, GOOD MORNING CODY. TOMORROW’S MATCH IS AA1 TIME THING, BUT DURING THE WORLD CUP COMING UP IN TWO YEARS, THERE WILL BE SEVERAL MATCHES HERE AT GE FIELD, AT ARROWHEAD, ALL OF THEM WILL BE SELLOUT MATCHES. SO IT IS GOING TO BE A TASTE FOR LOCAL WORLD CUP PLAYERS. HOW DO YOU MOVE ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF ARROWHEAD STADIUM? HOW DO YOU GET A SENSE OF SOCCER ON THE GLOBAL SCALE? BEYOND THE FANTASTIC WATCH PARTIES KANSAS CITY HAS THROWN FOR PAST WORLD CUPS? THERE WILL BE A LOT OF MESSI FANS HERE TOMORROW. YOU CANNOT UNDERSTATE THAT WHO ARE NOT LOCAL OR THEY’VE NEVER BEEN TO ARROWHEAD BEFORE. HOW DO YOU ENSURE THEY HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE THE VERY FIRST TIME THEY COME HERE? AS A FAN? AND CAN YOU REPLICATE THAT ON A LARGE SCALE BECAUSE IT’S HARD TO UNDERESTIMATE HOW BIG OF A DEAL THE FIFA WORLD CUP IS. IT’S HARD TO UNDERESTIMATE THE LIONEL MESSI EFFECT ON ALL OF THIS,
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Soccer returns to Arrowhead Stadium Saturday for highly anticipated matchup
Sporting Kansas City will play one game back in Arrowhead as star Lionel Messi visits with Inter Miami
Messi Mania heads to the home of the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.Sporting Kansas City will host the Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami CF at Arrowhead Stadium.Sporting Kansas City President and CEO Jake Reid said, “We believe this will be the biggest event in Kansas City this spring and we are proud to partner with Arrowhead Events to provide an incredible experience for our fans and our team."Inter Miami made major waves by acquiring one of the most decorated athletes and footballers of all time mid-season in 2023. Messi is enjoying the twilight of his career alongside several other soccer stars on Miami's roster like Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez.Sporting KC moving the match from Children’s Mercy Park to Arrowhead is also capitalizing on the 28th anniversary of the club’s first match, played on April 13, 1996, at Arrowhead Stadium. The team played 200 matches at Arrowhead during its first 12 seasons.The club's last match at the venue, when the team was still known as the Wizards, set an attendance record for the team (52,342). That game was a friendly match, and 2-1 victory, over Manchester United in 2010. Arrowhead has been home to several notable soccer matches in the United States. In 2026 it will play host to the FIFA World Cup. The venue will also host a CONMEBOL America 2024 match-up between the United States Men’s National Team and Uruguay on July 1. Notable Soccer Matches at GEHA Field at Arrowhead StadiumAug. 24, 1973: NASL All-Stars vs. Torpedo MoscowSept. 28, 1990: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. MSL SelectApril 13, 1996: Kansas City Wiz vs. Colorado RapidsOct. 7, 1999: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Finland // Brazil vs. South KoreaAug. 20, 2000: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. CanadaApril 25, 2001: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Costa RicaOct. 22, 2003: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. ItalySept. 22, 2004: Kansas City Wizards vs. Chicago FireOct. 16, 2004: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. MexicoSept. 13, 2008: Kansas City Wizards vs. LA GalaxySept. 16, 2009: CD Guadalajara vs. Club AmericaJuly 25, 2010: Kansas City Wizards vs. Manchester UnitedMarch 31, 2015: Mexico Men’s National Team vs. ParaguayApril 13, 2024: Sporting Kansas City vs. Inter Miami CFJuly 1, 2024: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Uruguay
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
Messi Mania heads to the home of the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.
Sporting Kansas City will host the Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami CF at Arrowhead Stadium.
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Sporting Kansas City President and CEO Jake Reid said, “We believe this will be the biggest event in Kansas City this spring and we are proud to partner with Arrowhead Events to provide an incredible experience for our fans and our team."
Inter Miami made major waves by acquiring one of the most decorated athletes and footballers of all time mid-season in 2023. Messi is enjoying the twilight of his career alongside several other soccer stars on Miami's roster like Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez.
Sporting KC moving the match from Children’s Mercy Park to Arrowhead is also capitalizing on the 28th anniversary of the club’s first match, played on April 13, 1996, at Arrowhead Stadium. The team played 200 matches at Arrowhead during its first 12 seasons.
The club's last match at the venue, when the team was still known as the Wizards, set an attendance record for the team (52,342). That game was a friendly match, and 2-1 victory, over Manchester United in 2010.
Arrowhead has been home to several notable soccer matches in the United States. In 2026 it will play host to the FIFA World Cup.
The venue will also host a CONMEBOL America 2024 match-up between the United States Men’s National Team and Uruguay on July 1.
Notable Soccer Matches at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
- Aug. 24, 1973: NASL All-Stars vs. Torpedo Moscow
- Sept. 28, 1990: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. MSL Select
- April 13, 1996: Kansas City Wiz vs. Colorado Rapids
- Oct. 7, 1999: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Finland // Brazil vs. South Korea
- Aug. 20, 2000: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Canada
- April 25, 2001: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Costa Rica
- Oct. 22, 2003: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Italy
- Sept. 22, 2004: Kansas City Wizards vs. Chicago Fire
- Oct. 16, 2004: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Mexico
- Sept. 13, 2008: Kansas City Wizards vs. LA Galaxy
- Sept. 16, 2009: CD Guadalajara vs. Club America
- July 25, 2010: Kansas City Wizards vs. Manchester United
- March 31, 2015: Mexico Men’s National Team vs. Paraguay
- April 13, 2024: Sporting Kansas City vs. Inter Miami CF
- July 1, 2024: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Uruguay
