Shooting in Kansas: Argentine fans came under fire before the match
In Kansas City, ahead of a 2026 World Cup soccer match, a series of shootings took place during which a taxi carrying Argentine fans came under fire and the driver was injured. Despite the chaos and danger, the tourists had to be escorted by police directly to the stadium so they could make it to their national team’s game.
On the eve of the soccer match between Argentina and Algeria, the American city of Kansas City was plunged into an atmosphere of sudden violence, as at least five shootings occurred in different neighborhoods within a short period of time, instantly causing alarm among local residents and visitors. One of these incidents occurred near a car carrying Argentine fans who were on their way to the stadium to support their team, and it was this very trip that nearly ended in tragedy.
According to law enforcement officials, bullets pierced the taxi’s body, injuring the driver, while the tourists themselves miraculously escaped physical harm, though they were deeply shaken by the events. The police, who arrived promptly at the scene, provided first aid to the injured driver and decided not to leave the foreign fans in a stressful situation; instead, they escorted them to the stadium in patrol cars so they could continue their journey safely.
In total, several shooting incidents were reported in the city that evening, resulting in one death and four others sustaining injuries of varying severity, which prompted local security forces to urgently step up security measures. In Kansas City, a large-scale operation was launched to search for the shooter or shooters, as well as to check all areas where armed assailants might be hiding.
Despite the tense situation, the match between the national teams of Argentina and Algeria went ahead as scheduled, and Argentine fans were able to celebrate their team’s 3–0 victory, which helped ease the tension somewhat following the dramatic incident on the way to the stadium. At the same time, this incident has already sparked new discussions about security at major sporting events in the U.S., which will host the 2026 World Cup, and about the readiness of host cities to handle such crisis situations. This was reported by The New York Times.
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