Thousands of Netherlands fans and Kansas Citians are expected to fill the streets of downtown Thursday for a massive parade.It’s called the March to the Match, a Dutch tradition before international matches led by a giant orange double-decker bus.The bus arrived in the Kansas City metro on Tuesday and was spotted taking a tour of downtown Kansas City before settling down in the River Market on Wednesday.All of the March to the Match action starts Thursday morning at Kansas City’s Power & Light District.Power & Light will open at 9 a.m. for a party before the march featuring DJs brought in by the Netherlands team.P&L is expecting thousands of fans to crowd the entertainment district in the morning.From there, the parade will start near the College Basketball Experience and T-Mobile Center and head south down Grand Avenue.KCPD Maj. Abby Martinez said it’s similar preparation to a Chiefs Super Bowl parade, except everyone is invited to participate in this march. Martinez said they’re partnering with multiple agencies across the city.”We have had a great partnership with the city of Kansas City throughout all of these events, and so, that looks like getting public works involved with large trucks, helping us block those intersections.”Martinez said that allows KCPD to focus more on the crowd and making sure people are safe along the route.This will be the third March to the Match for the Netherlands fan base during the FIFA World Cup. The first two marches were in Dallas and Houston. Martinez said they’ve talked with law enforcement leaders there.”All along the way, we’ve had good relationships with all the different host cities and, law enforcement,” she said. “So we are sharing information daily, not only on this, but just everything else.”The march will go down Grand Avenue for more than a mile before it ends near Washington Square Park and Crown Center at Pershing Avenue.KCPD said they expect it to take about 45 minutes. Representatives of the Orange Bus said it could take as long as 75 minutes.Once fans get to Pershing Avenue, they’ll be just another short march away from Kansas City’s FIFA Fan Fest at the World War I Museum and Memorial Lawn.The official opening time for Fan Fest on Thursday is scheduled for 1 p.m., but Fan Fest Director Mallory Cage said they’re working to open earlier.”We’re working through everything we can to be ready to accept guests as early as possible,” Cage said. “And also to make sure those who are coming to the 1 p.m. start that maybe haven’t joined the march are also able to easily access.”On busy days, Fan Fest has had fans arrive two hours before the fest opens, causing the line to stretch down Main Street to nearly Union Station.With the addition of what could be more than 10,000 fans in the march, Cage said they’ll be working to let people in as quickly as possible to prevent a bottleneck of fans outside Fan Fest and Union Station.”We’ve been working through our arrival process, our scanning process, all of those different things to continue to make it smooth,” Cage said.KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer said what fans must remember is the only bags accepted into Fan Fest are clear bags. Kramer said fans with normal bags will not be allowed in.Dutch superfans who drive the Orange Bus from match to match encourage everyone in Kansas City and beyond to take part in the march Thursday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

Thousands of Netherlands fans and Kansas Citians are expected to fill the streets of downtown Thursday for a massive parade.

It’s called the March to the Match, a Dutch tradition before international matches led by a giant orange double-decker bus.

The bus arrived in the Kansas City metro on Tuesday and was spotted taking a tour of downtown Kansas City before settling down in the River Market on Wednesday.

All of the March to the Match action starts Thursday morning at Kansas City’s Power & Light District.

Power & Light will open at 9 a.m. for a party before the march featuring DJs brought in by the Netherlands team.

P&L is expecting thousands of fans to crowd the entertainment district in the morning.

From there, the parade will start near the College Basketball Experience and T-Mobile Center and head south down Grand Avenue.

KCPD Maj. Abby Martinez said it’s similar preparation to a Chiefs Super Bowl parade, except everyone is invited to participate in this march. Martinez said they’re partnering with multiple agencies across the city.

“We have had a great partnership with the city of Kansas City throughout all of these events, and so, that looks like getting public works involved with large trucks, helping us block those intersections.”

Martinez said that allows KCPD to focus more on the crowd and making sure people are safe along the route.

This will be the third March to the Match for the Netherlands fan base during the FIFA World Cup. The first two marches were in Dallas and Houston. Martinez said they’ve talked with law enforcement leaders there.

“All along the way, we’ve had good relationships with all the different host cities and, law enforcement,” she said. “So we are sharing information daily, not only on this, but just everything else.”

The march will go down Grand Avenue for more than a mile before it ends near Washington Square Park and Crown Center at Pershing Avenue.

KCPD said they expect it to take about 45 minutes. Representatives of the Orange Bus said it could take as long as 75 minutes.

Once fans get to Pershing Avenue, they’ll be just another short march away from Kansas City’s FIFA Fan Fest at the World War I Museum and Memorial Lawn.

The official opening time for Fan Fest on Thursday is scheduled for 1 p.m., but Fan Fest Director Mallory Cage said they’re working to open earlier.

“We’re working through everything we can to be ready to accept guests as early as possible,” Cage said. “And also to make sure those who are coming to the 1 p.m. start that maybe haven’t joined the march are also able to easily access.”

On busy days, Fan Fest has had fans arrive two hours before the fest opens, causing the line to stretch down Main Street to nearly Union Station.

With the addition of what could be more than 10,000 fans in the march, Cage said they’ll be working to let people in as quickly as possible to prevent a bottleneck of fans outside Fan Fest and Union Station.

“We’ve been working through our arrival process, our scanning process, all of those different things to continue to make it smooth,” Cage said.

KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer said what fans must remember is the only bags accepted into Fan Fest are clear bags. Kramer said fans with normal bags will not be allowed in.

Dutch superfans who drive the Orange Bus from match to match encourage everyone in Kansas City and beyond to take part in the march Thursday.