photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

The Haskell Cultural Center and Museum, 2411 Barker Ave., on Haskell Indian Nations University's campus in Lawrence in a file photo from January 2026. The school will host a series of events during the World Cup to help promote Native culture to a global audience.

To introduce international tourists to Native American culture, Haskell Indian Nations University is planning an art market, a series of talks and a powwow this summer to coincide with the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

It’s called the “Summer of Soccer Native American Events” series, and Travis Campbell, director of the Haskell Cultural Center and Museum, said it’s meant to engage the international soccer fans who are expected to flock to the Kansas City area from June 11 to July 19. Four teams chose to have their base camp in the Kansas City area — England, Argentina, the Netherlands and Algeria, which selected Lawrence as its host city — and Arrowhead Stadium will host six matches, including a quarterfinal match. FIFA estimates suggest 600,000 fans will visit the region, and Campbell said Haskell wanted to give global visitors a chance to learn more about the school and Native culture.

“(These events) let people visit us at Haskell and see what we’re all about,” Campbell said.

Campbell said Haskell will host the “Indigenous World Market” from 3 to 7 p.m. June 17 at the Haskell Powwow Grounds, 2552 W. Perimeter Road. He said it will be like a “smaller version” of the school’s annual Haskell Indian Art Market that happens in the fall and will let artists show off their work to a “global community.” Around 30 vendors have signed up so far to sell at this event.

The other big event will be the “Powwow on the Pitch,” from 6 to 10 p.m. June 24 at the Haskell Powwow Grounds. Both the market and powwow are scheduled in between match days in Kansas City so that they don’t compete with the games.

Campbell also said that Haskell plans to host a series of informational presentations about history and culture called “Friday Facts” at the Stidham Union. More details about the talks will be shared at a later time, but they will take place on June 12, 19 and 26 and July 10.

Campbell said that all of the events are scheduled during the week, when the campus’s offices and the cultural center will be open. The museum also provides guided audio tours in 12 languages, so he said many foreign visitors will have no problem experiencing the museum.

The school has also been working with local organizations like Explore Lawrence and the “Lawrence 26” World Cup preparation group to try to “get the word out.”

“We want to be on everybody’s radar,” Campbell said.

photo by: Contributed

Haskell Indian Nations University will host a series of events this summer that hope to welcome global visitors and introduce them to Haskell and Native cultures.