KC2026 Names Pam Kramer Chief Executive Officer

KC2026, the entity established to lead the planning and activation of the FIFA World Cup 26, has named Pam Kramer as its Chief Executive Officer.

Kramer has been the fractional chief operating officer for KC2026 and will continue to report to the KC2026 Board of Directors for planning on the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kramer’s career includes 16 years at Sprint before joining the Kansas City Chiefs front office. She was the transitional chief executive officer in 2021 for the Kansas City Current of the NWSL.

“The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a generational opportunity to not only bring the Kansas City influence to the biggest sporting event in the world, but also to seize our moment to show the world what we already know and love about this region,” said Kramer. “Hosting this event is bigger than anything that’s ever been done before and regional collaboration is the key to our shared success. I’m looking forward to working with the many teams and stakeholders who will help make it happen.”

Kansas City will host six matches in 2026, including a quarterfinal. Three regional sites were among the first list of possible team base camp options released by FIFA earlier this summer.

While at Sprint, Kramer worked on the company’s sponsorships including the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA, the last time the event was held in the United States. She also secured the placement of Sprint’s brand on the NFL coaches’ headsets, the first sponsorship of its kind by a consumer brand.

“Pam’s range of experience and leadership in sports business provide invaluable perspective, spanning involvement in the 1994 FIFA World Cup to her extensive experience with local professional teams,” said Karen Daniel, President of the KC2026 Board of Directors. “Pam’s ability to collaborate, strategize and align stakeholders has earned her credibility and widespread respect across the region, and I’m delighted she has accepted this role.”

KC2026 earlier this summer also named Julie Lorenz as senior advisor for transportation. Lorenz in 2019 was appointed secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation and Director of the Kansas Turnpike Authority. She most recently was at 1898 & Co., a business and technology consulting arm of Burns & McDonnell, and was appointed as a commissioner for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.