What to expect as Orange Legion Netherlands fans arrive in Kansas City
Patrick Bakker, president of the Dutch Club of Kansas City, shares what to expect from the traditions of the Orange Legion as Netherlands fans descend on Kansas City – and how you can participate
ONE OF THE PERKS OF HOSTING THE WORLD CUP INVOLVES THE MIX OF CULTURES COMING TO TOWN AND THE TRADITIONS THOUSANDS OF SOCCER FANS BRING WITH THEM FROM OVERSEAS. WE’RE IN FOR A SHOW LATER THIS WEEK. THAT’S BECAUSE DUTCH FANS ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THE NETHERLANDS TEAM, AND THEY RIDE DEEP. TRADITION, WITH FANS PACKING THE STREETS IN A SPECIAL MARCH TO THE STADIUM. THURSDAY AHEAD OF THE TEAM’S MATCH WITH TUNISIA, BRINGING THEIR TEAM SPIRIT FROM POWER AND LIGHT DOWN TO THE FIFA FAN FESTIVAL, WHICH IS PAST UNION STATION. THE SUPER BOWL IS A VERY SMALL, SMALL EVENT COMPARED TO WHAT WE’RE GOING TO HAVE HERE IN KANSAS CITY. THE DUTCH FANS SHOW UP NO MATTER WHERE, NO MATTER WHERE WE PLAY IN THE WORLD, OUR ORANGE LEGION WILL BE THERE. THE SPECIAL DUTCH ORANGE BUS IS ALREADY STATESIDE. ORGANIZERS HAD IT SHIPPED FROM OVERSEAS, ALL WHILE LOCAL FANS AND THE BASE CAMP HOST RIVERSIDE. ROLL OUT THE ORANGE CARPET FOR THE TEAM. LET’S GET TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER WITH PATRICK BAKKER, PRESIDENT OF THE DUTCH CLUB OF KANSAS CITY. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS IS A BIG WEEK FOR YOU. YOU MUST BE SUPER EXCITED. ABSOLUTELY. AS EXCITED AS WE CAN BE. WHAT IS IN OUR WILDEST DREAMS? WE THOUGHT THAT OUR TEAM WOULD BE HERE, WOULD HOST OR BE BE BASICALLY HAVING ITS BASE CAMP HERE AND PLAY A GAME. I MEAN, JUST FANTASTIC. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO HAVE THE TEAM IN TOWN RIGHT ON YOUR DOORSTEP? YEAH, IT’S JUST UNBELIEVABLE. YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, THE FACT THAT KANSAS CITY GOT A GAME OR TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORLD CUP WAS ONE THING. AND THEN YOU HEAR THAT YOUR TEAM IS HERE. THAT’S JUST UNBELIEVABLE. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY SEE SOME OF THE STAR PLAYERS OR OUT AND ABOUT AROUND THE PLAZA AREA, OR HOPEFULLY TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THE PRACTICES. AND OF COURSE, WE’LL GO INTO THE GAME IN ABOUT FOUR DAYS. YEAH, YOU HAVE TO ABSOLUTELY. YOU HAD TO. THERE’S ONE RIGHT HERE. ABSOLUTELY. WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO? OTHER OTHER THAN THE MATCH? JUST HAVING THE BIT OF CULTURE IN TOWN TO. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. IT’S JUST CELEBRATING OUR CULTURE. I MEAN, WE CAN SEE IT IN OUR CLUB. THE ENERGY IS IS BACK DUE TO COVID. YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF WENT DOWN QUITE A BIT. BUT THIS IS REJUVENATING EVERYTHING THAT THE CLUB STANDS FOR AND THE ENERGY IS THERE. THE PASSION IS THERE. PEOPLE WANT TO SHARE OUR CULTURE, WANT TO BE PART OF OUR CULTURE. SO IT’S AWESOME. WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT THE CULTURE, ABOUT DUTCH FANS AND THE NETHERLANDS? WELL, WE LIKE TO PARTY, THAT’S FOR SURE. I MEAN, WE ARE PARTY COUNTRY. I MEAN, EVERYWHERE YOU GO, YOU CAN SEE IT WITH FORMULA ONE, WITH MAX VERSTAPPEN. IT’S ORANGE EVERYWHERE. YOU CAN SEE IT WITH ALL KINDS OF SPORTS AND OF COURSE WITH SOCCER. THAT IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF IT ALL. I MEAN, WHEN YOU GO BACK TO MY COUNTRY, ALL THE STREETS ARE COMPLETELY ORANGE WITH FLAGS GOING FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE AND IT’S JUST UNBELIEVABLE. WE’VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF THAT IN RIVERSIDE, WHICH IS. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. TELL US ABOUT THE DUTCH CLUB AND WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING. YEAH. SO WE ARE JUST A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT EITHER ARE FIRST, SECOND OR THIRD GENERATION DUTCH. SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT EVEN DUTCH, BUT HAVE LIVED THERE MAYBE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME OR JUST LIKE OUR COUNTRY. AND WE JUST LIKE TO COME TOGETHER, SHARE DUTCH FOOD AND SHARE DUTCH STORIES AND A LITTLE BIT OF CULTURE. AND OF COURSE, THE WORLD CUP. WE HAD A COUPLE OF WATCH PARTIES AND THEN OF COURSE, WE ARE TRYING TO GO AS MUCH TOGETHER TO THE MARCH THIS COMING THURSDAY. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE WHEN THE DRAW HAPPENED AND YOU SAID, WAIT A SECOND, OUR TEAM IS COMING HERE. YEAH, I KNOW, I JUST COULDN’T BELIEVE IT. YEAH, YEAH. PHONE CALLS FROM OVERSEAS, YOU KNOW, FAMILY CALLING, WANTING TO KNOW IF THERE’S A PLACE TO STAY, WONDERING IF THERE’S A PLACE TO STAY AND WANTING TO COME TO KANSAS CITY. ABSOLUTELY. THAT’S GREAT. OKAY, SO BIG EVENT IS THURSDAY FOR THE MATCH HOURS BEFORE THE MATCH. SO THAT HELPS WITH YOUR PARTYING. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT AT THIS FAN WALK BECAUSE WE’VE SEEN SOME VIDEOS, BUT I DON’T KNOW IF THAT DOES JUSTICE. WELL I MEAN IT DOES. BUT THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS OF COURSE MOST OF THE GAMES YOU’VE SEEN ARE A DRIVE AWAY FOR DUTCH PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, GOING TO GERMANY IS A 2.5 HOUR DRIVE. SO YOU DON’T HAVE THE CROWD THAT IS NORMALLY COMING OVER. WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT, THERE’S A COUPLE THOUSAND FANS THAT ARE ORGANIZED WITH THE ROYAL DUTCH SOCCER ASSOCIATION THAT ARE COMING TO THE GAME, THAT WILL BE PART OF THIS. THE BIG UNKNOWN IS HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE COMING FROM OTHER STATES. WE HAVE HAD MANY INQUIRIES LIKE, HEY, WHAT’S THERE TO DO? WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THE BUS FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING FROM FLORIDA, FROM IOWA, FROM COLORADO, YOU JUST NAME IT, THAT ARE GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING IN THE EVENT AND ALSO GOING TO THE GAME. SO THAT IS THE BIG UNKNOWN. WE HOPE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN KANSAS CITY WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE. THIS IS NOT WATCHING THE CHIEFS OR THE ROYALS WIN. WHATEVER THEY WANT, THE WORLD SERIES OR THE THE SUPER BOWL, WHERE YOU STAND ON THE SIDELINES, YOU KNOW, GO TO A GO TO A STORE, BUY AN ORANGE SHIRT AND JUST PARTICIPATE IN THE WALK, YOU KNOW, GO BEHIND US AND DO THE FAMOUS SONG FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND JUST PARTICIPATE. THAT’S WHAT WE HOPE FOR. SO NOT JUST FRIENDS FROM THE NETHERLANDS, BUT THOSE THAT ARE COMING FROM OTHER STATES, BUT ALSO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE FROM KANSAS CITY JUST THEY JUST WANT TO BE PART OF THIS BIG PARTY. SO YOU’RE INVITED BY THIS ONE. ALL RIGHT. SO EXCITED. HOPEFULLY MERRIAM DOESN’T GET UPSET WITH ME. THEY’LL BE ALL RIGHT. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY’RE EXPECTING WITH THE KANSAS CITY DUTCH CLUB. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, YOU HEARD HIM. YOU ARE WELCOME TO TAKE PART IN THURSDAY’S FAN WALK AND BIG ORANGE PARTY. DOORS OPEN AT POWER AND LIGHT AT 9 A.M. THE PARTY STARTS AT 11, AND THE WALK STARTS AT 1215, STRETCHING DOWN TO THE FAN FESTIVAL GROUNDS. JU
What to expect as Orange Legion Netherlands fans arrive in Kansas City
Patrick Bakker, president of the Dutch Club of Kansas City, shares what to expect from the traditions of the Orange Legion as Netherlands fans descend on Kansas City – and how you can participate
Updated: 10:45 AM CDT Jun 21, 2026
Kansas City is about to get a firsthand look at one of soccer’s most colorful traditions.As thousands of Netherlands supporters arrive for Thursday’s World Cup match against Tunisia, local Dutch leaders say fans can expect a sea of orange, music and celebration to take over downtown before kickoff.Patrick Bakker, president of the Dutch Club of Kansas City, said hosting the Dutch national team in the metro has been a dream scenario for local supporters.”Whatever, in our wildest dreams, we thought that our team would be here, would host or be basically having its base camp here and play a game,” Bakker said. “It’s just fantastic.”The Netherlands is using the Kansas City Current training facility in Riverside as its World Cup base camp. Bakker said the tournament has energized the local Dutch community and sparked interest from supporters across the country.The centerpiece of Thursday’s festivities will be the Orange Fanwalk, a tradition that has become synonymous with Dutch soccer supporters. Fans dressed head-to-toe in orange will march from the Power & Light District to the FIFA Fan Festival near Union Station before heading to Kansas City Stadium for the match.Bakker said several thousand supporters traveling with the Royal Dutch Football Association are expected to participate, along with fans coming from states across the U.S.”We hope that a lot of people here in Kansas City will take the opportunity to participate,” Bakker said. “Go to a store, buy an orange shirt and just participate in the walk.”The Netherlands’ passionate supporters, known as the Orange Legion, are famous for turning host cities orange during major international tournaments. Dutch fans regularly stage large fan marches, complete with music, singing and their iconic orange attire.Thursday’s event will begin at the Power & Light District, where fans can gather starting at 11 a.m. Entertainment will precede the Fanwalk, which is scheduled to depart at 12:15 p.m. and travel to the FIFA Fan Festival.Bakker said the celebration is about more than soccer.”We like to party, that’s for sure,” he said. “People want to share our culture and want to be part of our culture.”The Netherlands faces Tunisia at 6 p.m. Thursday in Kansas City.
Kansas City is about to get a firsthand look at one of soccer’s most colorful traditions.
As thousands of Netherlands supporters arrive for Thursday’s World Cup match against Tunisia, local Dutch leaders say fans can expect a sea of orange, music and celebration to take over downtown before kickoff.
Patrick Bakker, president of the Dutch Club of Kansas City, said hosting the Dutch national team in the metro has been a dream scenario for local supporters.
“Whatever, in our wildest dreams, we thought that our team would be here, would host or be basically having its base camp here and play a game,” Bakker said. “It’s just fantastic.”
The Netherlands is using the Kansas City Current training facility in Riverside as its World Cup base camp. Bakker said the tournament has energized the local Dutch community and sparked interest from supporters across the country.
The centerpiece of Thursday’s festivities will be the Orange Fanwalk, a tradition that has become synonymous with Dutch soccer supporters. Fans dressed head-to-toe in orange will march from the Power & Light District to the FIFA Fan Festival near Union Station before heading to Kansas City Stadium for the match.
Bakker said several thousand supporters traveling with the Royal Dutch Football Association are expected to participate, along with fans coming from states across the U.S.
“We hope that a lot of people here in Kansas City will take the opportunity to participate,” Bakker said. “Go to a store, buy an orange shirt and just participate in the walk.”
The Netherlands’ passionate supporters, known as the Orange Legion, are famous for turning host cities orange during major international tournaments. Dutch fans regularly stage large fan marches, complete with music, singing and their iconic orange attire.
Thursday’s event will begin at the Power & Light District, where fans can gather starting at 11 a.m. Entertainment will precede the Fanwalk, which is scheduled to depart at 12:15 p.m. and travel to the FIFA Fan Festival.
Bakker said the celebration is about more than soccer.
“We like to party, that’s for sure,” he said. “People want to share our culture and want to be part of our culture.”
The Netherlands faces Tunisia at 6 p.m. Thursday in Kansas City.