Health Systems Lead Proactive Emergency Response During World Cup Opening Week

After thousands of hours of planning and preparation, the first FIFA World Cup 26™ match at Kansas City Stadium was held June 16, with Argentina and Algeria playing. Health care delivery is continuing without impact across the region. 

With most of the tournament still to go, here is an overview of health care priorities.

• The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency and Missouri Disaster Medical Assistance Team deployed three fully equipped medical tent sites near Kansas City Stadium, Fan Fest and the Power & Light Entertainment District. Staffed by multidisciplinary medical teams, the tents provide urgent care-level treatment, triage and stabilization to reduce strain on local hospitals and 911 services. Equipped with advanced medical technology and supported by state and federal funding, the operation focuses on heat safety, hydration and rapid coordination with the Kansas City Fire Department for higher-acuity cases. Take a behind-the-scenes look at the setup here.
• Event medicine within Kansas City Stadium is available and provided by The University of Kansas Health System, with physicians, nurses, medical assistants and technicians supporting hospitality areas and in-stadium care. Planning has included coordination with EMS and regional hospitals, with daily regional check-ins underway to monitor patient volumes, EMS activity and other indicators throughout the region.
• Heat-related illnesses, allergies, poison exposures and insect-borne diseases (e.g., ticks, mosquitoes) are ongoing concerns.

Note: To mitigate heat-related illness, Kansas City Stadium and FIFA Fan Festival™ Kansas City are allowing sealed water bottles with access to refill stations to promote adequate fluid intake. Shaded and misting areas also are being utilized to support cooling and reduce heat stress throughout the tournament.

• Other matters of interest for large gatherings include measles (for unvaccinated individuals) and gastrointestinal illnesses like norovirus. Experts reiterate that hand hygiene and vaccination are key protections.

Health care systems will continue to play a critical role in keeping patients, visitors and communities safe throughout the tournament. To support this regional effort, the Missouri and Kansas hospital associations and their partners will continue to inform hospitals about available resources, health care impacts and other emerging issues as the World Cup continues.