With less than three weeks until the 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives in the United States, local leaders, businesses and community organizations are working to ready the city for international visitors tied to the tournament in Kansas City.
City plans include more multilingual signage downtown, expanded emergency response support, transportation options connecting Lawrence to KC’s Fan Fest and more.
World Cup matches begin Thursday, June 11, and the final match is set for Sunday, July 19. Six matches are slated for Kansas City between Tuesday, June 16 and Saturday, July 11.
Team Algeria, which will have its base camp in Lawrence, has three group stage matches: June 16, against Argentina, in Kansas City; June 22, against Jordan, in San Francisco; and June 27, against Austria, in Kansas City.
Following some events over the past couple of months to introduce Lawrence to other cultures, several community groups are also organizing activities here in town to welcome visitors from around the world.
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Tim Bascom and ‘The Boundless Game’
7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 28 at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St.
Tim Bascom, author of “The Boundless Game,” and coach Oumar Seck will be discussing all things soccer, moderated by Washburn University professor Eric Henry. Find more information at this link.
GOAL! Art Exhibition opens
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6 p.m. Friday, May 29 at the Lawrence Arts Center Gallery, 940 New Hampshire St.; exhibition open through Aug. 1
The Lawrence Arts Center presents this free art exhibition celebrating the World Cup and infusing cultural diversity into the Midwest. Artists from around the country have designed their own “team jersey” as a welcome for international visitors. Find more information at this link.
Soccer Talk with Nate Bukaty
6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 3 at the Lawrence Public Library
Soccer commentator Nate Bukaty will debut his book “Perfect Pitch: How Kansas City Became the Heart of American Soccer and Landed the World Cup,” telling the story of how Kansas City became a soccer powerhouse. Registration is required; sign up at this link.
Friday Facts from Haskell Indian Nations University
11 a.m. and 2 pm. Friday, June 12, June 19, June 26 and July 10 at Stidham Union, 2423 Barker Ave.
Haskell is organizing a series of informational presentations, with topics to be announced.
Lawrence’s official World Cup kickoff party with The Granada
5 p.m. Friday, June 12 in the 1000 block of Massachusetts Street
Lawrence Busker Festival presents Score Lawrence: Algeria vs. Argentina
3 to 11 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 on East Seventh Street and at Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St.
A free, outdoor festival with a world-class international soccer freestyler performing tricks, music from SUNU and local vendors such as Andante Home, The Sunflower Market, ENJ Perfume and OutLaws Jewelry. Food trucks will include Mama Doe Ice Cream Bar, Rainbow Ice Company, QueenPins Taco Truck, Carnival Cravings and Free State Beer.
At 8 p.m., the event moves inside Liberty Hall for the official viewing party of Algeria vs. Argentina.
Find more information about the agenda at this link and access the event map here.
Indigenous World Market
3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 17 at the Haskell Powwow Grounds, 2552 W. Perimeter Road
Explore Native American culture and craftsmanship through food, arts, crafts and clothing.
‘The Arab’ screening as part of Free State Festival
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, June 22 at Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St.
The arts center, in partnership with the library, will show “The Arab,” directed by Malek Bensmail, as part of its annual Free State Festival. Based on the novel “The Meursault Investigation” by Kamel Daoud, the film is about an old man from Oran, Algeria who says he’s the brother of “the Arab” killed in “The Stranger” by Camus. The screening is free to attend.
Algeria vs. Jordan watch party with the Granada
Street party starting at 4 p.m. Monday, June 22 in front of the Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St.
The event will include a viewing party for the Algeria vs. Jordan match, which begins at 10 p.m.
‘The Battle of Algiers’ screening as part of Free State Festival
6:30 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23 at the Lawrence Art Center, 940 New Hampshire St.
LAC will show “The Battle of Algiers” by Gillo Pontecorvo as part of its annual Free State Festival, alongside music and a panel. The film re-creates a key year in the tumultuous Algerian struggle for independence from the occupying French in the 1950s. Shot on the streets of Algiers in documentary style, it is a case study in modern warfare, with its terrorist attacks and the brutal techniques used to combat them. Tickets are $12.
Powwow on the Pitch
6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, June 24 at Haskell Powwow Grounds
Lawrence Busker Festival presents Score Lawrence: USA vs. Turkey
4 to 11 p.m. Thursday, June 25 on New Hampshire Street and at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St.
A free outdoor festival with a world-class international soccer freestyler doing tricks, music from VCMN, Ezgi Karakus and LYXE. Local vendors such as The Sunflower Market and OutLaws Jewelry. Food trucks will include Mama Doe Ice Cream Bar, QueenPins Taco Truck, Carnival Cravings, Hook & Que and Free State Beer.
At 9 p.m., the event moves inside the Lawrence Arts Center for the official viewing party of USA vs. Turkey. Find more information about the agenda at this link and access the event map here.
Vivo en Masse with The Granada
Soccer street party starting at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 27 in the 1000 block of Massachusetts Street
Algeria’s match against Austria begins at 9 p.m.
Lawrence Busker Festival presents Score Lawrence: Quarterfinal game
3 to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 11 at South Park, 1141 Massachusetts St.
A free outdoor festival with a world-class international soccer freestyler, music from Sad Cowboy Recording Co., Kat King, Rudy Love and the Encore and HEMBREE. There will be a food truck for Free State Beer.
At 8 p.m., the event moves to Maceli’s, 1031 New Hampshire St., for the official viewing party of the quarterfinal game. Find more information about the agenda at this link and access the event map here.
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Courtney Lane (she/her), staff reporter, has worked with The Lawrence Times since April 2026. She can be reached at [email protected].
Read her complete bio here. Read her work for the Times at this link, and see her photography for the Times at this link.
More coverage: World Cup 2026
Courtney Lane/Lawrence Times
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