Kansas City Hospitality Businesses Hiring Ahead of World Cup

Career fair to connect students and public with jobs at hotels, restaurants, and bars

Apr. 18, 2026 at 1:51pm

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A minimalist studio still life photograph featuring a hotel room key, a restaurant fork, and a bar coaster, symbolizing the hospitality industry's preparations for the upcoming World Cup.Kansas City's hospitality businesses are gearing up to welcome the world for the FIFA World Cup with a career fair to fill open positions.Kansas City Today

With the FIFA World Cup coming to Kansas City this summer, the city's hospitality industry is hosting a career fair to fill job openings at hotels, restaurants, and bars. The free event on April 22nd is organized by the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association, Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City, Greater Kansas City Area Attractions Association, and Summit Technical Academy. Over 40 businesses will be recruiting at the Hy-Vee Arena, with a special student-only session in the morning and a public session in the afternoon.

Why it matters

The World Cup is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Kansas City, providing a major boost to the local hospitality industry. This career fair aims to help businesses staff up and prepare to showcase the city's vibrant food, beverage, and tourism offerings to an international audience.

The details

The career fair will take place on Wednesday, April 22nd at the Hy-Vee Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. From 9am to 11am, the event will be open exclusively to high school and college students who must register in advance at info@kansascitylodging.org. Then from 12:30pm to 2:30pm, the fair will be open to the general public. Attendees are encouraged to bring resumes and dress professionally. Businesses in the hospitality industry, including hotels, restaurants, and attractions, are invited to participate by reaching out to info@kansascitylodging.org.

  • The career fair will take place on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
  • The student-only session will be from 9am to 11am.
  • The public session will be from 12:30pm to 2:30pm.

The players

Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association

An industry association representing restaurants in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City

An industry association representing hotels and lodging businesses in the Kansas City region.

Greater Kansas City Area Attractions Association

An industry association representing tourism attractions in the Kansas City area.

Summit Technical Academy

A technical school in Kansas City providing vocational training.

Trey Meyers

Representative from the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association.

Andrea O'Hara

Executive Director of the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City.

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What they’re saying

“Our hotels are not new to hosting big events. We do this all the time. We thrive in that space. And so it's really more of that on a larger scale. And we're ready to go. Our hotels are staffed up. It's making sure they're brushed up on their guest services training and all of those things.”

— Andrea O'Hara, Executive Director, Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City

“Most of our restaurants are looking for people that are around 18 or up, but there are still some opportunities for some people who are at least 16 to be in the front of house host and busters. Anything along those lines. But even if you have zero hospitality, a restaurant tour experience, we will still take you. I mean, we are the industry of opportunity.”

— Trey Meyers, Representative, Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association

What’s next

Businesses in the hospitality industry interested in participating in the career fair can reach out to info@kansascitylodging.org to sign up.

The takeaway

As Kansas City prepares to host the FIFA World Cup this summer, the city's hospitality businesses are ramping up their hiring efforts to ensure they have the staff needed to welcome the influx of international visitors and showcase the region's vibrant food, beverage, and tourism offerings.