Any and all of the soccer connections to the Kansas City Chiefs for the new fans watching the World Cup
The Kansas City Chiefs have been a massive part of the American football world, but the World Cup has shown they also have connections to soccer.
The Kansas City Chiefs and soccer share a deeper bond than most football fans realize. With the World Cup bringing thousands of international visitors to Kansas City, one of the tournament’s host cities, the sport is captivating Americans who never paid much attention before.
Chiefs fans looking for a rooting interest on the pitch have a handful of natural entry points, all tied to the Hunt family and even to quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The connections start at the top of the Chiefs’ ownership structure and stretch across MLS, the NWSL, and even European football.
The Hunt family’s deep roots in American soccer
The easiest link between the Chiefs and soccer is FC Dallas, the MLS club the Hunt family owns and operates out of Frisco, Texas. Clark Hunt serves as the team’s chairman, and his brother Dan Hunt serves as president. FC Dallas has been one of the better teams in MLS this season, though the league is on a break while World Cup matches are being played on American soil. Play will resume after the tournament concludes.
Then there is Sporting Kansas City, the MLS club in the Chiefs’ own backyard. The Hunt family previously owned the franchise before eventually stepping away from the ownership group. Mahomes is now one of Sporting KC’s part-owners. The club has a strong trophy cabinet historically, though they have struggled in recent seasons and sit near the bottom of the MLS standings.
The Hunt family’s involvement in soccer predates both of those clubs. Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt was a founding investor in MLS and helped create the North American Soccer League in the 1960s. The annual domestic tournament, the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, is named in his honor.
Mahomes and the KC Current
On the women’s side, the KC Current of the NWSL offer another strong connection. Mahomes and his wife, Brittany Mahomes, became part of the ownership group in 2023. Brittany is a former collegiate and professional soccer player herself, making the investment more than a business decision.
The Current have been one of the best teams in the NWSL since the league’s inception, consistently fielding rosters loaded with talent and winning at a high rate. For Chiefs fans who want to stay local and support a winner, the Current are a natural fit.
A European connection through FC Bayern Munich
For fans who want to follow a European club, there is a thread connecting the Chiefs’ orbit to FC Bayern Munich, one of the most successful clubs in world football history. FC Dallas has served as a development partner of Bayern Munich, and the Chiefs have collaborated on several initiatives over the years. That partnership gives the Hunt family’s soccer enterprise a direct tie to one of the biggest brands in the global game.
A perfect time to jump in
The World Cup arriving in Kansas City has given the sport a visibility boost it has never had in this market. International fans flooding the city have showcased just how passionate soccer culture can be, and that energy is proving contagious. Whether it is supporting FC Dallas through the Hunt family connection, following Sporting KC and the Current through Mahomes’ ownership stakes, or appreciating the legacy Lamar Hunt built for the sport in America, Chiefs fans have no shortage of ways to engage.
The sport is as accessible and entertaining as it has ever been. For a fanbase that already knows how to rally behind a team, picking up a soccer allegiance during a World Cup summer feels like a natural next step. So, if you want to get into the sport and pick a club to root for, there are options. Sporting KC, KC Current, and FC Bayern Munich all have ties to the Chiefs.