The first of its kind, in the world ever | CPKC Stadium hype

The NWSL in Kansas City. It has come a long way, iykyk. Long gone are the days of NWSL matches at Shawnee Mission District Stadium and at Swope Soccer Village. And so, too, we have moved past going to soccer matches at Legends Field. We can also be thankful for the two years at Children’s Mercy Park, where attendance records for NWSL games in the city were set and broken. On Saturday, March 16, 2024, a new age begins, perhaps one that those who followed Kansas City NWSL since it’s beginnings in 2013 and the heartbreak in 2017 when the league intervened for a club to cease operations, and even for the return of professional women’s soccer in 2021, couldn’t have imagined.

Kansas City has the first stadium built for a women’s professional soccer club in the world, for any women’s professional sports team actually. Officially. With plans announced on October 26, 2021, and after years of construction, the stadium is ready. Tomorrow on March 16, as the KC Current host the Portland Thorns for the home and 2024 season opener, all of the attention will be in Kansas City at CPKC Stadium, at the east end of Berkley Riverfront Park, as 11,500 fans attend, ready to mark a historic milestone.

Walking through the stadium last week at an open house, the excitement was building. Sure, there’s concerns about the parking situation. There’s just not enough spots for all 11,500 fans, and the pricing is certainly not something to be thrilled about, not in this economy. But at the end of the day, it’s not going to matter much, at least I don’t think it’s worth taking away from celebrating the stadium. Though not ideal to have to park away from the stadium, and find other modes of transportation, and the club has provided information on options, the game day experience will be the hype.

This stadium is the first of its kind, and it’s a big deal, and it’s the Current’s stadium, not an MLS team’s, not a university’s football team, not a USL team’s. Everything inside that stadium is specifically all KC Current, and you love to see it. The seats are teal, and the upper seats spell out CURRENT. The wall artwork throughout is all Current, with accents of red and teal. There’s even a team store on site, ready to take all of our money as there are more options available, like a pair of teal socks, which have been on my wish list to buy for years!

The food selection and vendors and options are all local to Kansas City, with taking into consideration dietary restrictions. There’s also of course compost bins and recycle ones. All poured and fountain drinks across the stadium will be served in a reusable cup. Fans will return those to their respectable bins, and they’ll be sanitized and repacked by Bold Reuse for future games, a win for sustainability efforts. The standing room only section on the north side is fully serviced with a bar in the area and plenty of food options, and close to the action.

It’s the coolest vibe we will see, and with a full stadium for the home opener and throughout the season, what a sweet reminder of how far we’ve come, and about time.