Kansas City Cafe Prepares for Argentina Soccer Fans with Traditional Yerba Mate

Cafe Corazon offers the traditional Argentine drink as the World Cup champions visit Kansas City.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 6:31pm

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As Argentina's soccer team and fans descend on Kansas City for an upcoming match, one local cafe is preparing to share a piece of Argentine culture with them. Cafe Corazon offers its own brand of traditional yerba mate, a tea-like drink that is hugely popular in Argentina. The cafe's CEO, Dulcinea Herrera, hopes the Argentina fan base will visit and experience the ritual of drinking yerba mate, which is deeply ingrained in Argentine daily life.

Why it matters

Yerba mate is a unique cultural tradition in Argentina, and Cafe Corazon's efforts to provide an authentic yerba mate experience for the anticipated Argentine visitors highlights how local businesses can cater to the traditions of international guests. This helps foster cultural exchange and makes traveling fans feel more at home.

The details

Cafe Corazon has its own brand of yerba mate that is grown in Argentina and served traditionally. The drink is like a tea but provides health benefits, energy, and hydration. Argentina star Lionel Messi is often seen with yerba mate, and his Instagram photo holding the drink after winning the 2022 World Cup became the most-liked Instagram photo in the world. Herrera's cafe is one of the few places in the Midwest where customers can get the drink served traditionally, and she hopes Argentina's fan base will visit during their stay.

  • Argentina's soccer team is expected to visit Kansas City in the coming weeks.

The players

Dulcinea Herrera

The CEO of Cafe Corazon, a local Kansas City cafe that offers traditional Argentine yerba mate.

Lionel Messi

The star player of Argentina's soccer team, who is often seen drinking yerba mate.

Francisco Cortez

A regular customer at Cafe Corazon who is an avid Argentina soccer fan.

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What they’re saying

“Yerba mate is how you start your day and end your day in Argentina. So people somewhat treat it as a ritual.”

— Dulcinea Herrera, CEO, Cafe Corazon (kctv5.com)

“It seems like it was just yesterday when they won the World Cup. Oh, I'm excited. I can't wait, because it will be amazing to meet some of the players.”

— Francisco Cortez (kctv5.com)

What’s next

Cafe Corazon is actively reaching out to Argentina players on Instagram, hoping they will visit the cafe during their stay in Kansas City.

The takeaway

Cafe Corazon's efforts to provide an authentic yerba mate experience for the anticipated Argentine visitors demonstrates how local businesses can embrace the cultural traditions of international guests, fostering cultural exchange and making traveling fans feel more at home.