Preparing to welcome the world
In 2026, Kansas City hosts World Cup matches, and Lawrence is ready to play our part. Lawrence 2026 brings together the City of Lawrence, Douglas County, University of Kansas and Explore Lawrence to coordinate resources, share information and highlight our community.
This is your central hub for what you need to know about how the World Cup will impact our region and how you can get involved.
The organization
It Lawrence 2026 is a coalition of organizations working together to prepare Lawrence for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Using the structure employed during COVID, Lawrence 2026 is operated by a Steering Committee, which oversees the work of six branches and several committees and task forces:
The branches are:
Safety and Security
Infrastructure Municipal Services
Transportation
Housing
Economic Development
Culture and Experiences
Planning, public information, finance, and diversity, equity, inclusion groups are connected to each branch and instrumental in the work.
Each branch is working on issues unique to its area of expertise, and the entire organization meets semi-monthly to discuss crossover issues.
Our Mission: Lawrence 2026 exists to prepare our community for Kansas City hosting the World Cup. Through coordination between the City of Lawrence, Douglas County, the University of Kansas, and Explore Lawrence, we provide residents and businesses with the information, resources and opportunities they need to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Our Vision: We seek to have a Lawrence community that is informed, prepared and engaged as we support Kansas City in hosting the world's most-watched sporting event. We envision residents who know what to expect, businesses that seize new opportunities and a region that showcases the best of Kansas hospitality.