Children’s Mercy Park is a soccer-specific stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, built near the Kansas Speedway on the western edge of Wyandotte County. Opened on June 9, 2011, as Livestrong Sporting Park, the roughly $200 million venue has served as the permanent home of Major League Soccer’s Sporting Kansas City since its debut.
The stadium carried the Children’s Mercy name from November 2015 through the naming-rights partnership with Children’s Mercy Hospital, a deal that ran for about a decade before expiring in February 2026, when the facility reverted to its earlier name, Sporting Park. In its 2013 season it became the only venue to host an MLS All-Star Game, a USMNT World Cup qualifier, and the MLS Cup final all in the same year.
Stats at a Glance
- Team: Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
- Location: Kansas City, Kansas
- Opened: June 9, 2011
- Capacity: About 18,467 for soccer (expandable to around 25,000 for concerts)
- Construction cost: About $200 million
- Notable fact: Only stadium to host an MLS All-Star Game, a USMNT World Cup qualifier, and the MLS Cup final in one year (2013)
A Decade Under the Children’s Mercy Name
For about ten years, the stadium’s compact, steep-sided bowl design kept Sporting KC fans close to the pitch, with the vocal supporters’ section known as the Cauldron anchoring one end. The Children’s Mercy Hospital partnership extended beyond signage, tying the venue to local pediatric health initiatives throughout the sponsorship.
That naming-rights agreement expired in February 2026, and the club entered a new healthcare partnership with Saint Luke’s while the stadium itself reverted to its original name, Sporting Park, heading into the 2026 MLS season.
Record Crowds and Marquee Matches
The stadium’s biggest crowds have come in the postseason, with attendance reaching about 21,650 for the 2013 MLS Cup final, when Sporting Kansas City beat Real Salt Lake on penalties. A regular-season attendance mark of around 21,505 followed in a 2015 match against the Seattle Sounders.
Beyond league play, the venue’s hosting of a U.S. men’s national team World Cup qualifier in 2013 cemented its reputation as one of MLS’s premier soccer-specific environments.
Explore more: more MLS stadiums.
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Children’s Mercy Park FAQs
Where was Children’s Mercy Park located?
In Kansas City, Kansas, near the Kansas Speedway on the western side of Wyandotte County.
Which team played at Children’s Mercy Park?
Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer has called the stadium home since it opened in 2011.
Is the stadium still called Children’s Mercy Park?
No. The naming-rights deal with Children’s Mercy Hospital expired in February 2026, and the venue reverted to its earlier name, Sporting Park.
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Photo: Lectrician2 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.