How a Trump cabinet choice could affect Kansas City World Cup effort: a ‘huge benefit’

As President-elect Donald Trump fills out his cabinet, one choice could hold significant consequences for Kansas City as the region prepares for the World Cup in 2026.

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves is a contender for secretary of transportation, a position that would place the Missouri Republican in a position of influence as the Kansas City metro works to assemble a sprawling transit operation that will move hundreds of thousands of international fans across the region over the course of several weeks.

Graves, whose district includes the northern stretches of the Kansas City metro and spans northern Missouri, already wields significant sway over the nation's transportation agenda as chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

But the congressman – elected last week to a 13th term – would gain newfound prominence if he joins Trump's cabinet. His nomination would come at a moment when the Kansas City region could most benefit from having a powerful transportation ally in the federal government.

"I have been talking to Trump's transition team and they have informed me that they've got me on a shortlist for that," Graves told the radio station KFEQ and the St. Joseph Post in an interview last week. "I'm obviously taking a very hard look at it and (we'll) see what happens. But it is certainly something that is very intriguing to me."

Graves' office didn't respond to a request for comment from The Star.

Since Trump's election last week, multiple Missouri politicians have been floated as potential cabinet nominees. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey appeared to be in the running for U.S. attorney general before Trump nominated Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz. U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was also under consideration for the top Department of Justice role but took himself out of the running .

Even though Trump didn't appoint them, Bailey and Schmitt are poised to act as influential figures within the administration. Schmitt, in particular, is seen as close to Trump, having traveled with him in the final days of the presidential campaign and could be a key voice for the incoming president in the GOP-controlled Senate.

Still, a cabinet nod for Graves could have the most immediate, concrete effects for Missouri.

"I think it would be great to have someone from Missouri in that position who understands the infrastructure needs that we'll have as we prepare for the World Cup," said Missouri House Majority Leader Jonathan Patterson, a Lee's Summit Republican who is expected to become the next speaker.

"I think he would help prioritize some funding that will be needed to make sure that we present Kansas City to the best of our abilities to the world."

Graves, 61, has been in Congress since 2001 , making him the current longest-serving member of Congress from Missouri. Graves, who holds an agronomy degree from the University of Missouri, doesn't often make a splash in Washington but consistently wins reelection in his solidly Republican district by a wide margin. He received 71% of the vote in last week's election.

While Graves would likely not face any significant challenges in receiving Senate confirmation, Republicans are expected to retain control of the U.S. House by a razor-thin margin. If Graves is nominated, his subsequent resignation would temporarily cut into the GOP majority. At the same time, a Republican would almost certainly win a special election to replace him.

Graves' position will prove helpful whether he's nominated or remains in Congress, said John Rizzo, executive director of the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority. Even staying on as chair of the House Transportation Committee represents a "huge benefit" to the Kansas City region ahead of the World Cup, Rizzo said.

"I think he's always been pretty easy to work with and has a good reputation for bringing money back to the state of Missouri," said Rizzo, a former Democratic state senator.

When asked by The Star at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday whether he would help get transportation funding to help Kansas City handle the World Cup, Graves said, "we're working on it."

KC planning underway When FIFA, soccer's governing body, in 2022 named Kansas City as a host city for the 2026 World Cup, the announcement triggered a furious preparation effort. Kansas City is the smallest of the host cities , which include Atlanta, Los Angeles, Houston and other major metros.

Since then, transportation has been at or near the top of the priority list for organizers – and consistently a concern. Notably, no rail transportation exists between Kansas City International Airport and downtown, or for that matter Arrowhead Stadium, where matches will be played.

Local World Cup organizers have said they will have a temporary transit fix in place by tournament time to transport soccer fans in June and July of 2026 but that likely won't include rail. The plan will instead almost certainly rely on more buses – at least 200 need to be leased – along with coordination between rental car, ride-share and taxi companies.

KC2026, the organization spearheading the hosting effort, has a total budget of over $100 million. Budget documents have previously pegged the nonprofit's transportation costs at $18 million, with Kansas and Missouri each expected to contribute $7 million toward transportation specifically.

Permanent transit solutions would cost substantially more. A light rail line between downtown and the airport would cost billions. Bus rapid transit – think a supercharged bus system – could cost upwards of $480 million.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, with Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Washington Democrat, in July introduced legislation to create a grant program that would provide states, cities and tribes with funding for projects to improve transportation in their region during World Cup or Olympic games. The grants would help pay for permanent transportation projects, such as new roads or light rail.

The program would be administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation – the agency Graves would lead as secretary. The legislation would also authorize USDOT to aid cities and states with World Cup planning and facilitate the sharing of buses and other equipment between cities.

KC2026 CEO Pam Cramer previously praised the introduction of the legislation. In a July statement, Cramer said the legislation would give "much-needed support" to efforts to ensure safe and efficient transportation during the World Cup.

At the time, Cramer said the investments and support would help create a "sustained and lasting impact" beyond the World Cup. They would help improve mobility in the region beyond 2026, she said.

The bill didn't advance, however.

KC2026 spokesperson Elliott Scott on Wednesday declined to comment on a possible Graves' nomination.

Federal funding sought Moran said on Wednesday that World Cup organizers are seeking around $625 million for efforts nationwide, including around $20 million for Kansas City. Those dollars aren't expected to focus solely on transportation, and it's unclear whether Congress will appropriate the funding.

Moran said help from Graves would be beneficial in getting the funding passed and signed into law.

"I would not say it's a given, but I still think it's possible," Moran said.

Room exists for Congress to fund transportation projects that would last long after the World Cup, said U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, whose district includes the eastern edge of the Kansas City metro. Alford, who wants to be assigned to the House Appropriations Committee in 2025, singled out improvements to the Interstate 49 corridor as an example.

"It's gotta be done responsibly, though," Alford said, "and with our deficit in mind, $35 trillion now."

The U.S. debt is roughly $35 trillion. The annual budget deficit is about $1.8 trillion.

David Johnson, the immediate past chair of the Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance, said World Cup organizers cannot count on federal dollars, especially after Trump's win and Republicans in control of the Senate and most likely the House.

"I think there's no indication that an all-Republican government would appropriate anything more than a pittance," Johnson said.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said the city had an "exceptional" relationship with President Joe Biden's White House that would be hard to replicate with a Trump administration. Still, Lucas noted the streetcar received federal investment during the Trump administration.

"And so we would hope that that type of message comes back," Lucas said.

Graves focused on roads, bridges While Graves has said little specifically about the World Cup, he signaled recently he would emphasize physical infrastructure if nominated to be transportation secretary. In the local radio interview last week, the congressman called for a focus on roads, bridges, airports, pipelines and ports.

What the transportation secretary shouldn't do, Graves said, is "all of these things that are about a green agenda or about woke policies or quota policies, whatever the case may be."

"We need to concentrate on traditional infrastructure and that's what's going to be the challenge is unwinding so many of those things that happened in the Biden-Harris administration," Graves said.

Despite his criticism of President Joe Biden's administration, Kansas City-area Democrats have reacted warmly to the prospect of Graves' nomination.

"If Democrats wouldn't put me out of the party, I would second the motion," U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, said. "First of all, he knows a lot about transportation. He served as chair of the committee, and I think he is almost the natural for this kind of role."

Kansas state Rep. Tom Burroughs, a Democrat who sits on the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority Board, said Graves has a history of supporting transportation, including in the Kansas City metro area.

The Kansas City metro remains a "community of vehicles," Burroughs said. But mass transit is a growing focus, he added.

"The infrastructure needs for that come at a high cost," Burroughs said. "Sam Graves is in a position to assist us in that."