On 26 October 2021, the owners of the Kansas City Current women’s soccer team made one of the biggest announcements in world sporting history. Construction would begin on the soon-to-be CPKC Stadium at Berkley Riverfront Park in Kansas City, USA.
This, however, was no ordinary building project. Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium would be the world’s first ever purpose-built stadium for a women’s professional sports team.
“From the beginning, our vision has been to create a player-first experience and facilities for our team that match not only the elite level of these incredible athletes but also the passionate support of [our fans],” says KC Current Co-Founder Chris Long.
Co-owners Brittany and Patrick Mahomes received the keys to the historic stadium on Saturday, March 16, 2024 for a very fitting National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season opener.
With its seating capacity of 11,500, the CPKC was fully sold out to see the Kansas City Current take on the Portland Thorns in a nine-goal thriller. In the history of the NWSL, this mega number of goals has only ever been scored in a total of three games, just adding to the buzz in the stands.
The atmosphere at the stadium was electric, booming with heartfelt chants from a sea of teal as fans came repping KC Current’s team colour.
The Mahomeses kicked off the afternoon by leading the Current’s first traditional “KC BABY” chant, which the thousands of fans filling the stadium echoed in response.
The match was all about firsts, with each one announced to a roaring crowd of fans throughout the game. The crowd watched the spectacle both on the pitch itself and on the stadium’s 75-foot-wide video board, housed in the centre, overlooking the water beyond the CPKC.
Pre-match scenes saw the first all-female crewed air force flyover to mark the event and, to top it all off, 16-year-old Alex Pfeifer of Kansas City Current became the youngest goal scorer in US women’s soccer history.
“The sold-out crowd for the inaugural match at CPKC Stadium was undeniably a moving and powerful experience,” says Jocelyn Monroe, KC Current’s Vice President of Marketing. “The team’s growing fanbase, game attendance, and media coverage strongly validate the market potential in professional women’s soccer for future investors. The global interest in women’s sports is clearly on the rise, and KC Current is leading the charge.”
“03 16 2024 CPKC Stadium Opening vs Portland (9)” by edwarddallas is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.