As Kansas City prepares to host its first FIFA World Cup matches Tuesday and Saturday, officials are hoping recent shootings and team England’s stolen equipment won’t overshadow the festivities. 

Two brothers, Erfan Kamal and Mustafa Salik, are accused of stealing more than $18,000 worth of goods from the England soccer team, which arrived Saturday at its home base in Prairie Village, Kansas. Salik and Kamal worked for shipping company Vista Trans and were transporting a truckload of team equipment and supplies from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Kansas City when they allegedly removed some of the items from the trailer, according to a release from Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

The brothers allegedly took cleats, shoes, signed jerseys, team uniforms, a World Cup soccer ball and other items from the shipment. They claim they were given permission to take whatever they wanted from the trailer, according to a probable cause statement. They are charged with one count each of receiving stolen property, which carries a prison sentence of one to seven years upon conviction. 

England players appeared to shrug off the incident in an interview with APT. 

“I’ve got all my kit (jerseys) and all my boots so, yeah, I don’t think it was as big as it’s been made out to have been,” defender Dan Burn said. 

“We got everything back, so it’s no problem,” goalkeeper Dean Henderson added. 

While the theft appears to have caused little disruption, other crimes in the Kansas City area have drawn national scrutiny of the region’s ability to safely host World Cup events and have devastated the local community. 

Earlier this month, a particularly violent weekend left the city reeling after 12 people were shot, and a riot involving teenagers led to the permanent cancellation of a beloved local festival. 

In the early morning of June 6, gunfire erupted among a crowd of more than 100 people gathered outside an unlicensed after-hours club, Fox 4 reported. Nine people were shot, making the incident Kansas City’s largest mass shooting of the year, according to the station. Two men were shot and killed at a gas station the same day, while another man was shot in a separate incident June 7. 

The nonfatal mass shooting put Kansas City in the international spotlight after The Athletic, a New York Times publication, ran a headline that read: “Nine injured in shooting near England’s World Cup base in Kansas City.” 

The England team is staying at The Inn at Meadowbrook in Prairie Village, roughly 15 minutes from the shooting site near the 7900 block of Troost Avenue in Kansas City, according to KCTV 5. It is training at Swope Soccer Village, about five miles from where the shooting occurred. 

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas criticized what he called the “misleading headline” and told KCTV 5 he expected more from The Athletic. 

“Kansas City made international headlines during the Super Bowl parade shooting,” Lucas said, referencing a shooting at a 2024 Kansas City Chiefs rally in which more than 20 people were injured. 

“Kansas City, in too many situations, has made headlines.” 

🚨 A family festival in the Kansas City area reportedly descended into chaos after large groups of teens became involved in fights and confrontations with law enforcement.

According to reports, officers from multiple agencies responded, emergency personnel treated several people… pic.twitter.com/Fe7ScKVWa2

— Prisca ❤️🇺🇲🫡 (@priscabdrO) June 10, 2026

On the same day as the mass shooting, June 6, a series of fights, assaults and acts of property damage disrupted Lee’s Summit Downtown Days, an annual festival that had been celebrated for nearly 40 years. Large groups of teenagers refused to disperse and wreaked havoc on the family-friendly event, leading organizers to announce its permanent cancellation. 

A curfew for minors was established June 10 across parts of the metropolitan area. Anyone younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult after designated hours, which vary by county. Some restrictions include children 15 and younger. 

Lucas introduced an ordinance to crack down on unlicensed nightclubs and entertainment venues in response to the mass shooting. Despite the violence this month as the city’s first World Cup match approaches Tuesday, Lucas told Fox 4 he remains confident Kansas City can host the games safely. 

“I have absolutely no concern about our ability to deliver public safety for visitors and guests during the World Cup – none whatsoever.” 

(Photo credit: FIFA World Cup 26 Kansas City via X)