The Kansas City metropolitan area has a long history of sports, which has included national championship teams and championship title events.
Major professional teams
ClubSportLeagueFoundedVenueTitlesKansas City ChiefsAmerican footballNational Football League 1963Arrowhead Stadium 4Kansas City RoyalsBaseballMajor League Baseball 1969Kauffman Stadium 2Sporting Kansas CitySoccerMajor League Soccer 1996Sporting Park 2 Kansas City Current National Women's Soccer League 2020 CPKC Stadium 0
Kansas City has had teams in all five of the major professional sports leagues; three major league teams remain today. The Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball became the first American League expansion team to reach the playoffs (1976), to reach the World Series (1980), and to win the World Series (1985; against the state-rival St. Louis Cardinals in the "Show-Me Series"). They did not make the playoffs again until 2014, winning the American League pennant before falling in a seven-game World Series to the San Francisco Giants. The Royals would return to the World Series in 2015, defeating the New York Mets in five games, clinching the title with a 7–2 win in 12 innings.
Since moving to the city in 1963, the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFL title in 1966, ultimately losing Super Bowl I to the Green Bay Packers, and again in 1969 as the last ever AFL champion, en route to their first Super Bowl win. They won Super Bowl IV against the Minnesota Vikings, 23–7. 50 years later, they would win Super Bowl LIV 31–20 against the San Francisco 49ers. In 2023, they won Super Bowl LVII over the Philadelphia Eagles with the score of 38-35, marking their second Super Bowl victory over the last four seasons and third Super Bowl title in franchise history.
Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer (MLS) plays its home games at Sporting Park, formerly named Children's Mercy Park, and Livestrong Sporting Park. Kansas City has won the MLS Cup twice — first in 2000 by defeating the Chicago Fire 1–0, and next in 2013 by beating Real Salt Lake at Sporting Park. Kansas City has won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup four times — first in 2004 by beating the Chicago Fire, next in 2012 by beating the Seattle Sounders at Sporting Park, again in 2015 by beating the Philadelphia Union, and most recently in 2017 by beating the New York Red Bulls. Kansas City was previously represented by the Kansas City Spurs in the top-level North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1968 to 1970. The Spurs captured the NASL championship in 1969, but were dissolved shortly after the 1970 NASL season.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is named for Lamar Hunt; while he was best known as the founding owner of the Chiefs, he was also a principal founder of both the original North American Soccer League (NASL) and Major League Soccer (MLS).
In the three most prominent women's professional leagues (the WNBA, the National Women's Soccer League, and the Professional Women's Hockey League), Kansas City has had two teams, both in the NWSL. FC Kansas City was one of the league's eight inaugural teams in 2013, but management issues led to the team being folded after the 2017 season, with its playing-related assets transferred to the first Utah Royals. That team ceased operations after the 2020 season, and its playing-related assets were transferred to a new Kansas City ownership group. The new Kansas City team played its first season in 2021 under the placeholder name Kansas City NWSL before adopting its permanent name of Kansas City Current the next season.
Major league professional championships
Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) 4 Super Bowl titles 1969 (IV) 2019 (LIV) 2022 (LVII) 2023 (LVIII)
2 American Football League (AFL) Championship Titles
1966 (AFL 1966) 1969 (AFL 1969) The Franchise has another AFL Title as the Dallas Texans in 1962 before moving to Kansas City. Grey Beard (April 17, 2017). "Lost Treasures of NFL Films-Episode 4: The American Football League" – via YouTube.
Kansas City Royals (MLB) 2 World Series titles 1985 2015
Kansas City Monarchs (NNL / NAL) 2 Negro World Series titles 1924 1942
Kansas City Spurs (NASL) 1 NASL title 1969
Sporting Kansas City (MLS) 2 MLS Cup titles 2000 2013
FC Kansas City (NWSL) 2 NWSL titles 2014 2015
Other current teams ClubSportFoundedLeagueVenueKansas City CometsIndoor soccer2010Major Arena Soccer LeagueCable Dahmer ArenaKansas City MavericksIce hockey2009ECHLCable Dahmer Arena Kansas City Monarchs Baseball 2003 American Association Legends Field Sporting Kansas City II Soccer 2016 MLS Next Pro Rock Chalk ParkKansas City GrillersBasketball2018American Basketball AssociationHy-Vee ArenaKansas City GoatsArena football2023The Arena LeagueMunicipal ArenaSunflower State FCSoccer2017USL League Two, Women's Premier Soccer LeagueThe Pembroke Hill SchoolSantafé Wanderers FCSoccer1998USL League TwoStanley H. Durwood Soccer Stadium and Recreational FieldKansas City StampedeQuadball2016MLQVariousKansas City DiamondsSoftball2026Professional Softball League (PSL)Legends Field
College sports
Program School Location Division Primary conference Kansas City Roos Kansas City, Missouri Summit League Rockhurst Hawks Rockhurst University Kansas City, Missouri Great Lakes Valley Conference William Jewell Cardinals William Jewell College Liberty, Missouri Great Lakes Valley Conference Avila Eagles Avila University Kansas City, Missouri NAIA Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Baker Wildcats Baker University Baldwin City, Kansas NAIA Heart of America Athletic Conference MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers MidAmerica Nazarene University Olathe, Kansas NAIA Heart of America Athletic Conference Park Pirates Park University Parkville, Missouri NAIA Heart of America Athletic Conference Saint Mary Spires University of Saint Mary Leavenworth, Kansas NAIA Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Past teams In 1926, the NFL added the Kansas City Blues and later renamed the club to the Kansas City Cowboys (NFL) in 1926. The club folded in 1927.
In 1972, Kansas City gained an NBA franchise, when the Kansas City-Omaha Kings – which had originated as the Rochester Royals, before becoming the Cincinnati Royals – relocated to the city from Cincinnati; the Kings split their home games between Kansas City and Omaha, Nebraska until 1975, when the team began playing its games exclusively in Kansas City, shortening its name to the Kansas City Kings. In 1985, the Kings relocated to Sacramento, California, becoming the Sacramento Kings.
In 1974, the National Hockey League (NHL) added an expansion team in Kansas City, when the Kansas City Scouts began play. The team would suffer due to an economic downturn in the Midwest. For their second season, the Scouts sold just 2,000 of 8,000 season tickets and were almost $1 million in debt. Due to their various on- and off-ice disappointments, the franchise moved to Denver before settling on the East Coast as the New Jersey Devils.
The Kansas Crusaders won the 1993 Women's Professional Basketball WBA Championship and the Kansas City Mustangs went undefeated in 1994.
ClubSportYears of OperationLeagueVenueFateFC Kansas CityWomen's soccer2013–2017National Women's Soccer LeagueChildren's Mercy Victory FieldFolded and roster transferred to Utah Royals FC. The latter team folded after the 2020 season and its roster was transferred to Kansas City NWSL, now known as the Kansas City CurrentKansas City AthleticsBaseball1955–1967Major League BaseballMunicipal StadiumMoved to OaklandKansas City Attack/CometsIndoor soccer1991–2005National Professional Soccer League (1991–2001); Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2005)Municipal Auditorium, Kemper ArenaSuspended operations for 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasonsKansas City BladesIce hockey1990–2001International Hockey LeagueKemper ArenaLeague foldedKansas City Blue StockingsBaseball1902–1903Western LeagueSportsman's ParkFranchise foldedKansas City BluesBaseball1887–1901Western League/Western Association/American League (1900)Exposition ParkBecame the Washington Senators, now Minnesota TwinsKansas City BluesBaseball1902–1954American Association (1902–1997)Blues StadiumMoved to Colorado, now the Wichita Wind Surge (TL)Kansas City Blues/CowboysFootball1924–1926National Football League Team foldedKansas City CometsIndoor soccer1981–1991Major Indoor Soccer LeagueKemper ArenaTeam foldedKansas City CommandArena football 2006–2012Arena Football League Kemper Arena, Sprint CenterTeam foldedKansas City CowboysBaseball1884Union AssociationAssociation ParkLeague folded; team moved to the minor league Western LeagueKansas City CowboysBaseball1886National League (1886)Association ParkTeam folded; players sold to the Pittsburgh AlleghenysKansas City CowboysBaseball1888–1889American Association (1888–89)Exposition ParkTeam foldedKansas City ExplorersTennis1993–2012World TeamTennisBarney Allis PlazaMoved to Irving, Texas, and became the Texas WildKansas City GiantsBaseball1909–1911Western Independent ClubsRiverside ParkTeam foldedKansas City KingsBasketball1972–1985National Basketball AssociationMunicipal Auditorium, Kemper ArenaMoved to SacramentoKansas City KnightsBasketball2000–2005American Basketball AssociationKemper Arena, Hale ArenaSuspended operations for 2005–06 seasonKansas City MaroonsBaseball1887–1890Negro leagues / BarnstormingExposition ParkTeam foldedKansas City MonarchsBaseball1920–1955Negro National League (1920–1930), Negro American League (1930–1955)Blues StadiumBecame full-time barnstorming team until 1965. Not related to the current Kansas City Monarchs, which renamed itself from T-Bones in 2021 in honor of the Negro leagues team.Kansas City MustangsWomen's basketball1992–1996WBA-Kansas Crusaders (1992–1994), Women's Basketball Association (1995–1996)Municipal AuditoriumLeague foldedKansas City OutlawsIce hockey2004–2005United Hockey LeagueKemper ArenaTeam foldedKansas City PackersBaseball1914-1915Federal LeagueGordon and Koppel FieldLeague foldedKansas City PhantomsIndoor football2017–2018Champions Indoor FootballSilverstein Eye Centers ArenaTeam foldedKansas City RenegadesIndoor football2013Champions Professional Indoor Football LeagueKemper ArenaTeam foldedKansas City Royal GiantsBaseball1910–1912Western Independent ClubsShelley ParkTeam foldedKansas City ScoutsIce hockey1974–1976National Hockey LeagueKemper ArenaMoved to Colorado; now the New Jersey DevilsKansas City SpursSoccer1968–1970North American Soccer LeagueMunicipal StadiumTeam foldedKansas City SteersBasketball1961–1963American Basketball LeagueMunicipal AuditoriumLeague foldedKansas City TornadoesBasketball2018–2019The Basketball LeagueHy-Vee ArenaFolded
Sporting events
Kansas City is in Missouri. often the home of the Big 12 Basketball Tournaments. The men's tournament is played at T-Mobile Center, while the women's tournament has often played at Municipal Auditorium. Lately newer arenas in Dallas and Oklahoma City have hosted both tournaments. Arrowhead Stadium serves as the venue for various intercollegiate football games. Often it was the host of the Big 12 Football Title Game. On the last weekend in October, the Fall Classic rivalry game between Northwest Missouri State University and Pittsburg State University takes place here. Usually, the Bearcats of Northwest and Gorillas of Pitt State are ranked one-two in the MIAA conference. In 2005, other games at Arrowhead included Arkansas State playing host to Missouri, and Kansas hosting Oklahoma. The stadium was one of eleven venues in the US that hosted matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kansas Speedway, located in Kansas City, Kansas, hosts many auto racing events, including two NASCAR race weekends with the Cup Series and Truck Series in the spring and the Cup Series and Xfinity Series in the fall. The track formerly hosted a race in the IndyCar Series.