06/23/2026
If you've been downtown for the World Cup, you've probably noticed something: the crowds are massive, but they're not exactly spread out.
I'm Eric, owner of Border Brewing here in Kansas City's Crossroads ā walking distance from the FIFA Fan Fest and Power & Light. Here's what I've actually been seeing since matches kicked off a little over a week ago.
When people come downtown, they're mostly heading to one of two places: Power & Light or Fan Fest. And honestly, I get it. Getting to a match is at least a half-day affair ā getting into Fan Fest, catching the shuttle to the stadium, working through security. People keep telling me the whole thing eats up hours.
So fans are planning their entire day around navigating the crowds, which doesn't leave much room to explore. The spots that are slammed are the ones sitting right on top of Fan Fest, P&L, or the streetcar line. Everywhere else is pretty quiet right now. That's just the math of how big events move people around, and it's hard to blame anyone for it.
But here's the thing: if you can build an extra hour into your day before Fan Fest or a match, the Crossroads is full of great spots worth your time ā including ours.
We just launched our $5 value menu, which means select beers are $5 all day long. Come say hi if you haven't been in yet.
And to everyone who's already supported us ā a sincere thank you. Hope to see you soon. Cheers. š»