World Cup showcase: Small biz marketplace planned for high-traffic Union Station hub during games

A five-week activation at Kansas City’s Union Station is expected to give World Cup visitors and locals a taste of the region’s small business community — gathering a mix of retail, service-based concepts, and performance-driven experiences in the Grand Hall, not far from the official FIFA Fan Festival.

Set to run June 11 through July 12, the free local business marketplace intends to showcase businesses, entrepreneurs, artists, and cultural performers.

Click here to apply to join the marketplace as a business or brand sponsor.

This opportunity is ideal for businesses generating at least $50,000 in annual revenue, organizers said, helping ensure each participant can take full advantage of the exposure and customer traffic. Smaller makers, artists, and pop-up businesses are still encouraged to join by curating a shared space with others, allowing for a more accessible and collaborative presence.

Marketplace hours are expected to be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays.

The activation is part of the broader City of Entrepreneurs initiative — through a collaboration between the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC), and the City of Kansas City, Missouri — designed to position Kansas City’s local business community at the center of the region’s largest global tourism moment.

“The City of Entrepreneurs marketplace reflects our commitment to connecting Kansas City’s small businesses to meaningful opportunity,” said Tracey Lewis, president and CEO of EDCKC. “By leveraging a global moment like the World Cup, we are creating pathways for local entrepreneurs to grow, reach new audiences, and be part of the city’s broader economic momentum.”

About 650,000 visitors are expected to descend on Kansas City this summer for the coming World Cup matches. FIFA selected the grounds of Liberty Memorial, to the immediate south of Union Station, for its fan festival.

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“The marketplace will transform Union Station into a high-energy retail and cultural destination, providing local businesses with direct access to unprecedented foot traffic while creating an immersive experience for residents and visitors alike,” marketplace organizers said in a release.

In addition to product sales, the marketplace will feature ongoing programming designed to highlight Kansas City’s culture, creativity, and entrepreneurial ecosystem, said Nia Webster, assistant director of the Neighborhood Services Department and a core organizer behind City of Entrepreneurs.

“Open Doors! and the City of Entrepreneurs marketplace are about expanding access to opportunity,” she added. “We’re creating pathways for small businesses and creatives to step into high-visibility spaces and grow in ways that might not have been possible otherwise.

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