Kansas City shooting may scare visitors off from visiting the United States for 2026 World Cup, says Taylor Twellman – with Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium hosting six games: ‘Why would a visitor feel safe?!’

In the wake of yet another horrific mass shooting in the United States, American soccer analyst Taylor Twellman believes the country’s violent history could deter visitors from attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

We’re only 46 days into the new year and there have already been 49 mass shootings in the United States, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.

Eleven of those shootings took place in cities hosting World Cup matches and resulted in six deaths and 62 injuries. This does not include the suburbs surrounding the host cities where people may be staying.

Twellman, a former USMNT player and longtime analyst who now covers MLS on Apple TV, posted angrily after the shooting in Kansas City that left one dead and 21 injured.

“If you’re arguing against gun regulation after seeing 10 people shot at a #SuperBowl parade, get your brain checked to see if it works,” Twellman wrote in the early aftermath of the shooting.

Fans flee after shots are fired near Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII victory parade

Twellman called for stricter gun regulations in the wake of the Kansas City shooting

Twellman has been calling USMNT and MLS games for ESPN and now Apple TV+ for more than a decade

“And while you’re at it, check the heart too. Shameful. Imagine if the World Cup took place here, wouldn’t a visitor feel safe?!’

Kansas City has already experienced two mass shootings this year, including yesterday’s Super Bowl parade tragedy.

Last year there were 656 mass shootings and 40 mass murders. The GVA defines mass shootings as incidents in which four or more people are injured or killed in a single incident at a single location, not excluding the shooter. The United States Congress defines mass murder as the killing of three or more people in a single event in a single location.

Kansas City will host six matches at the 2026 World Cup, including four matches in the group stage, one match in the Round of 32 and one match in the quarter-finals.

Twellman is a former forward who played two seasons overseas in Germany before logging 190 games for the New England Revolution.

He made thirty appearances for the United States men’s national team, scoring six goals.

After retiring in 2010, Twellman has had a long media career, primarily with ESPN as their main MLS color commentator. He was also part of ESPN’s team for the 2014 World Cup and for the European Championships in 2012, 2016 and 2020.

Twellman joined Apple TV+ when they acquired the rights to broadcast MLS matches beginning in the 2023 season.