It all began with one man's idea.

Lamar Hunt was in Dublin, Ireland in 1962 with his soon-to-be wife, Norma, when the young couple walked into Glenmalure Park – locally known as just "Milltown" – to watch the Shamrock Rovers take the pitch.

It was one of several sporting activities on Hunt's itinerary, which also included a hurling match and a Gaelic rules football game, but this experience stood out. It was Hunt's first time ever attending a professional soccer game, and as a spark of inspiration took hold, the world began to change.

The enthusiasm. The pageantry. The community.

The environment encapsulated what Hunt – aptly nicknamed "Games" – loved about sports, and upon watching the 1966 World Cup Final on television four years later, he decided it was long overdue to cultivate the growth of soccer in the United States.

This sequence of realizations served as the kindling that ignited this country's passion for soccer and, ultimately, led to the arrival of the FIFA World Cup – the largest sporting event on the planet – to Kansas City in 2026.

The growth of soccer in the United States, not to mention the possibility of Kansas City hosting World Cup matches, initially seemed unrealistic to most, but Lamar Hunt was an engineer of grand ideas. Once he felt an inkling of inspiration, it was only a matter of when, and not if.

"My dad loved spectator sports, and he was captivated by the fans and the singing and the chanting that he saw going on at the games," said Clark Hunt, Chiefs Chairman & CEO. "He saw the vision of what these matchups could look like in the new stadiums that were being built in the American Football League."

Indeed, Hunt was already a pioneer in a different kind of football. His American Football League had challenged the established National Football League to the extent of forcing a merger, which was agreed to in 1966 and completed four years later.

Hunt's AFL famously began with a rough outline written on the back of a napkin, and in yet another example of his unwavering courage to jump head first, Hunt co-founded the North American Soccer League in 1968.

The league began with 17 teams spanning the length of the country, and while the NASL experienced its ups and downs over the course of its 18-year history, it laid the foundation for the United States' hosting of the FIFA World Cup in 1994, and the creation of Major League Soccer two years later.

"He knew deep down that [the growth of soccer] would not have happened without the early days in the North American Soccer League," said Clark Hunt. "I think you can easily say there was nobody more important to the development of soccer in this country."

In the years that followed, Hunt's vision began to take shape. He built the first soccer-specific professional stadium in the country for his Columbus Crew in 1999, setting an example that 22 teams – and soon to be three more – have followed with stadiums of their own.

The growth has been exponential, and 32 years after the United States last hosted the World Cup, the leaders at FIFA have noticed. In fact, Kansas City made a bid to be a host city for the global tournament three decades ago. FIFA ultimately went a different direction, but all these years later, the venue Hunt often called "his favorite place on Earth," Arrowhead Stadium, is set to host six matches in 2026.

"I think he would be absolutely thrilled today," said Clark Hunt. "I remember being with him down on the field, pitching FIFA, and explaining how we would get the width that international soccer requires in the stadium, but it was not able to happen that year. This would be so special for him because he loved this city, he loved Arrowhead Stadium, and he loved the sport of soccer. To have all of this really come together would be meaningful to him."

This journey – 64 years in the making – all began with one man's idea. Not only did Lamar Hunt possess a love for sports, but he also took it upon himself to share that passion with those who otherwise may never have experienced the unmatched thrill of athletic competition.

What began as an idea grew into a vision, and with the world now on Kansas City's doorstep, that vision has evolved into a lasting legacy that has forever changed what it means to be a fan.