The Kansas City Chiefs will return to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri, for a 16th time for training camp in 2026.

The team has called MWSU home every summer since 2010, a tradition coach Andy Reid has embraced since arriving in 2013. But with a new $300 million headquarters and training facility under construction in Olathe, Kansas, the organization is building in flexibility for the future.

Chiefs team president Mark Donovan addressed reporters as the team opened camp, fielding questions about what happens once the new facility is complete. Donovan indicated that Kansas City has an agreement in place to remain in St. Joseph for the next five years, though the team evaluates the arrangement after every season.

“We absolutely view it as being with St. Joe’s and being a partner with them for the next five years. I think one of the things that has been really great about this relationship, and again, I’ll go back to history. Right when we first signed this deal, there were a lot of questions about whether we were going to be here for five years, right? And to be here 16 years later and say we’re still here and we still enjoy it, and it still works for us. It has to work for them too. And over the years, I think what we’ve done is establish a really good rhythm in how we look at this on both sides. A really good understanding of each other’s businesses. And if you follow our business, you see a lot of things have changed over the years. Specifically, the number of teams that have gone back to their training facility versus going away-it’s increased exponentially. And with my limited knowledge, just in learning it from the folks at Missouri Western and some other universities that we work with, their world has changed dramatically as well. When you think about the funding and the government funding and the things that they need to do, I think that base, that foundation, understanding each other’s business is really important as we go forward.”

The two parties have adjusted their agreement over the years. However, this partnership seems to have a potential expiration date. The takeaway is clear: the Chiefs want options on the table.

The new facility will be built with training camp capabilities

The big thing to remember about this story is that it’s less about leaving St. Joseph and more about preparation. Donovan made it clear that the new training facility in Olathe will be constructed with the capability to host training camp on-site if the organization ever decides to make that shift.

“With the training facility being built in Olathe, we as an organization have to look at everything we do with options,” Donovan explained. “So, that training facility is going to be designed with the ability to host training camp. We have to have that option. Who knows where we are in five years? But that decision will be made in year four and year five, as we go into that building, because, you know, depending on the head coach, does he still want to go away? Does he see the efficiency? Those things will factor in. We just have to have the options.”

More NFL teams stay home at their own facilities for training camp than travel to a separate location. The Chiefs are one of the few franchises that still go away during that period, sending players to sleep in dorm rooms on uncomfortable mattresses, away from their families and homes. Hosting camp at their own facility would eliminate those inconveniences entirely.

However, it’s about more than creature comforts. The Chiefs are simply preparing for the possibility that circumstances could change for both Missouri Western State University and the organization. Having a facility capable of hosting camp provides a safety net regardless of what the future holds. And the facility will be capable of hosting camp, with plans for more than enough seating. Donovan says it won’t quite be a college stadium, but they’ve designed it with the fan experience in mind.

What comes after 2031?

For starters, the current agreement keeps the Chiefs in St. Joseph through the foreseeable future. But past 2031, the door opens for Kansas City to make training camp entirely its own endeavor.

One factor that will weigh heavily in that decision is the team’s next head coach. Reid has been a vocal proponent of the away-camp model throughout his tenure, believing in the team-building benefits of pulling the roster out of its comfort zone. A future head coach may see things differently and prefer the convenience of staying home.

The truth is that this development doesn’t signal an imminent departure from St. Joseph. When you’re investing $300 million in a new headquarters, it makes sense to build in every possible use case. If the relationship with MWSU continues to work for both parties, the Chiefs can keep making the trip north. If it doesn’t, they’ll have the infrastructure to handle it themselves.

For now, the Chiefs and St. Joseph remain partners. The 2026 training camp is underway, and there’s no indication that the next five summers will look any different than this one. But the organization is clearly thinking ahead, and the new Olathe facility will be ready for whatever direction the franchise decides to go.