KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The countdown is almost over.
In just 18 days, Kansas City will host its first FIFA World Cup match when defending champions Argentina take the field against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium.
But before a ball is kicked, before the sellout crowds arrive and before the world turns its eyes toward Kansas City, one of the biggest moments of the tournament is about to happen.
Argentina is coming to Kansas City and along with the team comes arguably the greatest soccer player on the planet, Lionel Messi.
According to multiple sources, Argentina is expected to arrive in Kansas City on Sunday, giving local fans their first glimpse of the reigning World Cup champions as they begin preparations to defend their title.
The team is expected to hit the practice field Monday, wasting no time settling into its World Cup routine.
“It’s a dream,” said Isolina De La Vega, owner of Los Hornos, a popular Argentinian restaurant in the Northland. “He’s going to be in the place that we are — he’s going to be five minutes from here.”
For Kansas City, the arrival marks a milestone years in the making.
The city has been preparing for this moment since June 2022, when FIFA announced Kansas City as one of the host cities for the 2026 World Cup.
Coincidentally, the first World Cup match at Arrowhead Stadium will be played exactly four years to the day after that historic announcement.
Now, after years of planning, construction, meetings and anticipation, the reality of hosting the world’s biggest sporting event is finally setting in.
It starts with Argentina and Argentina doesn’t travel alone.
“They have an incredible amount of sports science, media, sponsors and a commercial side that’s its own engine,” said FOX4 Soccer Analyst and sports business expert Dr. Diego Gutierrez.
In fact, Gutierrez estimates between 30,000 and 50,000 Argentinian fans could make their way to Kansas City during the team’s stay.
At Los Hornos, preparations are already underway. Argentinian flags decorate the restaurant, signs are being hung and staff members are bracing for what they expect to be an influx of visitors from around the globe.
The owner says the restaurant has already received inquiries from well-known celebrities from the South American country who are planning visits while the national team is in town.
But as the defending champions prepare to land in Kansas City, one question remains:
Is Kansas City ready?
“I want to say yes,” Gutierrez told FOX4. “We’ve been working on this for such a long time. I think the anticipation is there. The eagerness to see the team and to have the atmosphere be here leads me to say that Kansas City is ready.”
He paused before adding what many throughout the metro are beginning to feel.
“It’s now time. It starts to feel real. It’s time as a community to put our best foot forward.”
For years, Kansas City has talked about the World Cup. On Sunday, it begins living it.
Argentina is expected to arrive in the metro Sunday before beginning training Monday.
Los Hornos is also planning a major pep rally June 14, just two days before Argentina opens its World Cup campaign at Arrowhead Stadium.
