BWhen Neal Sharma co-founded DEG at the turn of the millennium, Kansas City felt like it had an inferiority complex, he said. Now, in 2024, the city is teeming with external validation, he added.

The former founder and current civic leader hopes that Kansas City hosting the World Cup in 2026 will make Kansas City take a long look in the mirror.

“We have a lot of confidence,” said Sharma, the vice president of the Kansas City FIFA World Cup 26 Board.

“We are coming to ourselves,” he told a crowd gathered at the Kansas City, KansasAnd Shawnee Chambers of Commerce. “We’ve been applauded time and time again and we’re getting national and international attention – and I don’t just mean Taylor Swift.”

Neal Sharma, member of the Kansas City 2025 World Championship Organizing Committee, speaks during the Over The Fence World Championship Update Luncheon at The Venue in Kansas City, Kansas; Photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu; Startland News

Kansas City is scheduled to host six matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Arrowhead Stadium, joining American host cities such as Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Miami and Philadelphia.

“This is a real opportunity for us to build inner confidence,” Sharma continued, “so that in the future we can recognize any opportunity or challenge and know that we can overcome it.”

Sharma, who is now president of Dentsu Shop following the exit of Digital Evolution Group (DEG) in 2018, is making the rounds of regional chambers of commerce to answer questions and impress upon members the magnitude of what he describes as potentially the most transformational boon to the region in a generation, if not its entire lifetime.

“This is such a tremendous opportunity,” he said. “We need to think about the scale and think entrepreneurially about what we can all do together to seize this moment.”

Neal Sharma, member of the Kansas City 2025 World Championship Organizing Committee, speaks during the Over The Fence World Championship Update Luncheon at The Venue in Kansas City, Kansas; Photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu; Startland News

“When I testified before the Kansas legislature, I just said, ‘Listen, this is the biggest thing that’s happened in Kansas since Kansas.’ It’s a big deal and there’s no other way to say it. There’s going to be a lot of people here.”

An estimated 650,000 visitors are expected to attend the World Cup in Kansas City over the 35 to 40 days in June and July 2026, Sharma said, but he expects more. Billions of people will also be watching the World Cup on television, he added.

The last World Cup final was watched by 1.1 billion people – compared to around 120 million viewers for the Super Bowl featuring the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this year – and the 2026 event will feature 16 more teams.

“We want to show a global audience the vitality of our economy, the richness of our culture and, most importantly, the hospitality of our people,” Sharma explained. “We want to establish KC as the heart and capital of the Midwest and, I would say, the heart of our nation. We live in incredibly divisive times and we are the kind of people in this region who can – in ways big and small – demonstrate the kindness of people and serve as a model of what it means to bring people together.”

Neal Sharma, member of the Kansas City 2025 World Championship Organizing Committee, speaks during the Over The Fence World Championship Update Luncheon at The Venue in Kansas City, Kansas; Photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu; Startland News

Thanks to its central location and world-class soccer facilities, Kansas City – the smallest of the 16 cities hosting the 2026 World Cup – is well positioned to bring some of the best teams to the region as a base camp, Sharma said, which will attract even more fans.

“The fact that we were able to compete as the football capital of America is a testament to the investments that have been made – especially in our football infrastructure,” he added.

To take advantage of this enormous opportunity, Sharma outlined three ways for local businesses to get involved: as a vendor, as a sponsor, or as an organization that creatively supports the project.

“How can your company, your association, your organization play a role that not only benefits you, but lifts us all up and leads us into our next great era?” he asked, challenging the entrepreneurs and business representatives in the audience.

He also urged the Chamber members to keep an eye on Local business opportunities on the KC2026 site and to fill out the Form for business interest in the World Cup.