Meet three K-Staters involved in bringing the World Cup to Kansas City
This summer, fans will travel to Kansas City for one of the largest international
sporting events on the planet: the World Cup.
Kansas City will be hosting a number of matches — and there will be several K-Staters
at the heart of the action.
Ben Tenbrink ’19
Chief of staff for the 2026 FIFA World Cup KC
When Ben Tenbrink ’19 showed up to work on Dec. 5, 2025, the day ahead of him was
anything but ordinary.
His morning routine was the same, but his commute was a little different. On that
winter day, he found himself driving through the streets of Washington, D.C., instead
of his familiar Kansas City.
As he arrived at his "office" for the day — the Kennedy Center — he straightened his
tie and entered a room full of legends.
From athletic superstars like Shaquille O'Neal, Tom Brady, Rio Ferdinand and Landon
Donovan to world leaders and national team coaches, the room was buzzing with the
energy of the day.
It was the World Cup Final Draw, and Kansas State University alumnus Ben Tenbrink
had a place at the table with icons from across the globe.
He walked away at the end of the day knowing his city would host the reigning world
champions, Argentina, and one of the biggest names in the sport, Lionel Messi, during
soccer's greatest contest.
While most fans can only imagine the amount of responsibility and work of hosting
World Cup matches, top teams and players, Tenbrink knew exactly what was ahead of
him.
As chief of staff for the 2026 FIFA World Cup KC, he'd already been preparing for
15 months by the final draw.
His path from student to helping lead one of the biggest sporting events in the world
took only six years, and according to Tenbrink, his experiences at K-State paved the
way for his professional future.
Brandon Moreno
Associate director of engagement and belonging at the K-State Alumni Association
When Brandon Moreno heard that nearby Kansas City had been selected as a host for
some of the 2026 World Cup games, he knew he had to try to get tickets.
And not only will he be able to sit in the stadium and watch one of the games live
as a fan, he’ll also be serving as an official World Cup volunteer.
“I always loved watching the World Cup,” Moreno said. “There is something about seeing
how passionate a country can get, and better yet, how the world unites together to
watch and support their teams. To me, the World Cup is more than just soccer. It's
bigger than a sport. It's a wave of unity that takes over the globe. So, as someone
who values community, inclusion and belonging, I wanted to do my part in successfully
bringing that wave of unity to KC. Therefore, when I saw the applications go live
in August while I was sitting at the airport, I filled out my application right then
and there.”
Moreno will serve as a host city ambassador, primarily stationed at the World Cup
KC Volunteer Center in Union Station.
“I will be a friendly face as one of the first people whom fellow volunteers meet
upon their arrival at the venue, while helping to create a welcoming atmosphere,”
Moreno said. “Our main goal is to strive for volunteers to have an unforgettable tournament
experience.”
Moreno said he is excited to work alongside other World Cup volunteers who enjoy what
the World Cup means and what it can bring to a community. He is also grateful that
he finally managed to score some of the highly-coveted World Cup game tickets. Although
he was unsuccessful with the initial ticket lottery system, he was eventually able
to find tickets to the Algeria vs. Austria game.
“Whenever you admire something for a long time, it's always special to be a part of
it when you get the chance,” he said.
Learn more about the World Cup events in KC
Jenny Wilson ’98
Vice president of tourism development at Visit KC
The arrival of the 2026 World Cup will be a huge undertaking for the Kansas City area
— but the community is more than ready.
“As a community, we have been working on this for a long time, so it's exciting to
see all the plans coming together and to see how the community is really rallying
together for this once-in-a-lifetime event,” says Jenny Wilson ’98. “You can feel
the excitement in the air, and it's pretty much what everyone is talking about. There
are countdown clocks all over town reminding us that every day we are getting closer
and closer, but we're definitely ready to welcome the world to KC!”
Through her role at Visit KC, she has been focused on connecting with the international
markets that will be visiting Kansas City during the World Cup, such as the Netherlands
and Argentina.
“We have developed relationships with travel agents, tour operators and media in those
countries to help educate them on all things Kansas City,” she said. “Currently, we
are hosting cultural trainings for our hospitality community to help prepare our local workers. We have partnered
with the Protocol School of DC in a three-part series that focuses on welcoming visitors
from across the world.”
Wilson is planning to take her family to the Austria vs. Algeria game, and she also
will attend a couple additional matches with clients.
“I'm so excited to showcase Kansas City to so many people who have never been here
or maybe never even heard of us before the World Cup,” she said. “I can't wait for
fans to experience everything KC has to offer and all the things that make our city
so special: the people, food, music, museums and attractions.”