{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://alford.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1659", "Alford leads Resolution Honoring Kansas City\u2019s Efforts Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup", "2026-06-16", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Mark Alford", "A000379", "alford.house.gov", "alford", "https://alford.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) introduced a resolution honoring the tremendous effort undertaken by the people of Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas, and surrounding communities in preparing to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.\n\nRepresentatives Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Tracey Mann (KS-01), and Wesley Bell (MO-01) joined the resolution as original cosponsors.\n\n\u201cKansas City and the surrounding communities have stepped up in a truly incredible way to prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. From our first responders and local leaders to small businesses and volunteers, this is truly a team effort. We\u2019re not just ready to host the world\u2014we\u2019re ready to show it what the heartland can do, and I\u2019m proud to lead this effort in Congress on behalf of Missouri's Fourth District and surrounding areas,\u201d said Congressman Alford.\n\n\u201cKansas City is the soccer capital of America, and whether it is the barbecue or the Midwest manners, we\u2019re excited to welcome the world as we share all that our great city has to offer,\u201d said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. \u201cAfter years of preparation and regional cooperation to get to this point, I look forward to the joy and economic benefits the World Cup will bring to the people of Kansas City, our small business community, and the workers who have made it all possible.\u201d\n\n\u201cKansas City is the soccer capital of the United States, and this World Cup has already proven why,\u201d said Congressman Tracey Mann. \u201cI am grateful for the leadership that went into planning this moment and setting Kansas City up for success so that our community can show fans from around the globe what Midwestern hospitality is all about.\u201d\n\nThe 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to be the largest tournament in history, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and drawing an estimated global audience of more than 6 billion viewers.\n\nKansas City, one of 11 host cities in the United States, has quickly established itself as the \u201cSoccer Capital of America\u201d due to its world-class facilities, central location, and strong culture of hospitality.\n\nThe resolution:\n\nHonors the dedication and hard work of Kansas City-area communities in preparing to host the World Cup;\n\nRecognizes the scale and complexity required to organize a global event of this magnitude;\n\nAffirms that international events of this caliber can be successfully hosted outside of major coastal cities; and\n\nCommends the small businesses, teams, schools, volunteers, and public officials working to welcome the world.\n\nRead the full text of the resolution here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-17T06:49:24Z", "2026-06-17T06:50:53Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://alford.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1659"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 3.393637016415596, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}