photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Pam Kramer, the CEO of KC2026, the nonprofit that oversees Kansas City's World Cup planning, announced a regional transportation plan during a Tuesday morning press conference. Lawrence is one of 15 sites included on a daily regional route to and from Kansas City, with officials hoping the regional network connects visiting fans to the broader region.

Lawrence is one of 15 sites included as part of a regional transportation plan announced Tuesday that will have a direct connection to downtown Kansas City during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In a meeting at Lenexa’s city hall, KC2026, the nonprofit that will oversee strategy and perform the host city duties for the World Cup, unveiled ConnectKC26, a regional transportation plan designed to move visitors and residents between locations during the World Cup this summer.

Pam Kramer, the CEO of KC2026, said that the organization has been “leading the way” in presenting its transit plan, which will include three basic bus services that aim to simplify traveling and maximize the fan experience. Those services will include fares, but she said details on what the cost might be are not finalized.

photo by: Contributed via KC26

A map of the regional transportation network created by KC26 that aims to connect visitors and locals to the wider region. The plan includes daily buses that connect 15 sites throughout the region to Kansas City’s city center, including Lawrence.

The three services include “Airport Direct,” which will shuttle fans between Kansas City International Airport and Downtown Kansas City; “Stadium Direct,” a service for ticket holders that will only operate on match days that will take fans from select park-and-ride locations directly to Arrowhead Stadium and the “Region Direct,” which will be a daily service connecting the official FIFA Fan Festival — located around the grounds of the National WWI Museum and Memorial — with direct routes to 15 key regional sites.

Lawrence is one of the 15 sites that will be a part of the Region Direct network, with the city’s Central Station, 2315 Bob Billings Parkway, serving as the pick up and drop off point. Other spots that will be connected directly to downtown Kansas City in this network include Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Kansas; Lee’s Summit, Missouri.; The Legends, Kansas City, Kansas, and Independence Square, Independence, Missouri.

Tania Mahan, senior transport integration manager for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, said although Kansas City is one of the smaller host cities for this edition of the tournament, it has been one of the few cities to develop a regional transportation system. FIFA standards would have required connecting the stadium via some sort of public transportation — Kramer noted there is not currently a public transit option to Arrowhead Stadium — but Maham said this plan exceeded the requirements for host cities and highlighted the local organizers’ goal to “maximize regional and cultural opportunities” for visitors.

Kramer said currently the organization has leased 215 motor coaches that will run the routes. Currently, she said they anticipated that buses would leave each day on the Region Direct lines every “15 to 20 minutes,” though depending on the final schedule and what teams end up in the Kansas City region, those could change. The motor coaches hold about 56 people, and have more amenities compared to a city bus or school bus, including bathrooms and TV screens.

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

The interior of one of the “motor coach” buses being leased by KC26 to be used in a regional transportation system. Officials announced the plan Tuesday morning, and it will include a direct connection between Lawrence and downtown Kansas City.

Because Lawrence is the farthest location away from Kansas City’s city center, several officials with KC26 said it could be closer to buses every 30 minutes, but that could also depend on if Lawrence is chosen as a base camp site for a national team. As the Journal-World reported, those announcements should be expected early in 2026.

Kramer was joined at the press conference by Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Johnson County Board Chairman Mike Kelly, who both spoke about the way this kind of transportation network can spur opportunities for future regional transportation connections and also bring economic benefits on both sides of the state line.

Kramer said while the routes will likely be used by visitors, they hope these lines encourage local residents to use the transit systems to go to entertainment events like the fan festivals or to see other sites across the region.

“We want locals to stay here and embrace this ‘staycation’ opportunity,” Kramer said.

With the tournament 190 days away from kicking off, and with crucial details soon to be decided this week, Kramer said the group remains excited to welcome the world and put the Kansas City region in the spotlight — and the transportation plan is one way to show it.

“(This plan) is reflective of the region working together to showcase the Heartland to the world,” Kramer said.