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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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A group of Argentina fans in Kansas City, Missouri, said they were shot at while traveling to a 2026 World Cup match, describing how bullets struck their Uber vehicle shortly before they arrived at the stadium.
Kansas City Police confirmed to Newsweek that officers responded to a series of shootings in the city on June 16, but said there was "no connection to the game or any FIFA events" and that matches were not disrupted.
The South American soccer supporters told an Argentine television crew that a passing car fired twice at their Uber as they traveled to a World Cup game in the United States, hitting the driver in the leg.
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Their account, given live to Argentine outlet La Nación, lands as hundreds of thousands of overseas supporters pour into U.S. host cities for the 2026 tournament.
Police said multiple victims reported shots being fired into their vehicles along major roadways around the time of the alleged incident, and that detectives are investigating a number of related cases believed to have occurred in quick succession.
A spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department later confirmed that four victims—including three adults and one teenager—were taken to hospital after a series of shootings reported between about 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. This happened across multiple locations, including I‑670 and Wyoming, I‑70 and Paseo, I‑70 and Prospect, and Truman and Hardesty, where drivers said shots were fired into their vehicles.
Authorities said the incidents appeared to occur in quick succession from west to east and may be linked to a single subject of interest, with injuries ranging from non-life-threatening to critical.
It raises safety concerns as the U.S. hosts the global 2026 FIFA World Cup, drawing large international crowds, though authorities stressed the shootings under investigation were not linked to the tournament.
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Key Points
- The fans say their Uber was fired on twice by people in another vehicle while they were driving to the match.
- They said the Uber driver was hit and that police were called to the scene.
- Kansas City Police confirmed multiple linked shootings but said there was no connection to the World Cup.
- One passenger described seeing a wound and realizing what had happened only after the car braked.
- Passengers initially mistook the gunfire for a burst tire.
- The supporters said the incident unfolded "half an hour, an hour ago," shortly before they spoke on camera, which was about 20 minutes before kick off at 8 p.m. local time (CDT).
- The group says police took them to give a statement and then drove them to the stadium in patrol cars.
- One fan claimed the same thing had already happened to three other cars.
- The alleged incident happened shortly before Argentina’s opening World Cup match against Algeria.
- Argentina went on to beat Algeria 3—0 in Kansas City, with Lionel Messi scoring a hat trick.
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Why It Matters
Kansas City is hosting matches for the first time as part of the expanded 2026 World Cup, which spans the United States, Mexico and Canada. Large crowds of international fans have gathered in the city, placing pressure on local infrastructure and security during a globally watched tournament.
‘They Shot at the Car as We Were Coming’
The account comes from a video interview published by Argentine daily newspaper and television network La Nación, in which visibly shaken supporters described what they said had just happened moments earlier.
At first, one male fan appeared overwhelmed, saying, "If I start explaining, we'll be here all day."
According to the group, gunfire broke out while they were traveling in an Uber to the match.
"They shot at the car as we were coming," one of the fans said, before clarifying: "They shot at the Uber twice."
The interviewer in the clip expressed disbelief, repeatedly asking what had happened. The fans explained that another vehicle had approached and fired shots as it passed.
"The car was moving, another car came by and shot at it twice," one fan said. "At first we thought it was a punctured tire—I didn’t see it."
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A Driver Wounded, a Slow Realization
It was only when the Uber stopped that the passengers grasped how serious the situation was.
"He braked, and I saw his leg—the guy had a hole in it," the fan added, referring to the Uber driver, describing what appeared to be a bullet wound. "We called the police. It was horrible."
The group said officers responded and took statements before transporting them to safety.
"They took us to the police station. We had to give a statement," one fan said. "Then they brought us here in patrol cars."
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Motive for Shooting Unclear
The motive for the alleged shooting remains unclear, according to the fans. "We don’t know what the reason was," one said.
"It seems like this has already happened to three other cars," another female fan added, though this claim has not been independently verified.
Despite the incident, the tone in the video briefly shifted as the group acknowledged their surroundings.
"Everything is very nice in the United States," one fan said, with a nervous laugh, before greeting viewers and confirming where they were from.
The clip appeared to have been filmed about 20 minutes before Argentina’s opening Group J match against Algeria in Kansas City on June 16, according to a live time ticker on the bottom of the screen. The game marked the city’s debut as a World Cup host.
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World Cup Spotlight on Kansas City
Argentina won the match 3-0, with Lionel Messi scoring all three goals in a dominant performance that launched the defending champions’ campaign.
The match drew tens of thousands of spectators to Arrowhead Stadium, with additional crowds gathering at fan festivals and watch parties across the city.
Kansas City has seen heightened security measures around World Cup events, including large-scale police operations to manage crowds and protect teams and venues.
Separately, the city has faced recent incidents of gun violence unrelated to the tournament, including shootings reported in local crime updates.
What Happens Next
With Kansas City set to host multiple matches during the tournament, scrutiny may increase on crowd management, policing, and the safety of visitors traveling between the city, fan zones, and stadium venues.
Update: 06/17/26, 11:40 a.m. ET. This article has been updated with a Kansas City Police Department response.
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