Denver got left off FIFA’s list for the 2026 World Cup, and the city is not handling it well. Meanwhile, Kansas City landed a spot, with Arrowhead Stadium set to host matches. For soccer fans in Colorado, that’s a tough pill to swallow. 9News’ Scotty Gange said what many people in Denver were already thinking.

“The biggest loser in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is Denver, Colorado,” Gange said. “The FIFA World Cup has been incredible. But the biggest question asked here in Colorado is why are the games not being played in Denver? And seeing Kansas City host games is painful. Compared to [Empower Field at] Mile High, Arrowhead Stadium is a dump. You know what? Arrowhead Stadium is a dump compared to Cherry Creek Stadium. The Mile High City is the blueprint for events like this. Great facilities for the teams to train. Hotels galore, and a massive stadium that fills up for soccer matches.”

Gange did admit Denver only has itself to blame here. The Denver Sports Commission wasn’t willing to meet FIFA’s financial asks, according to a conversation with a source from Visit Denver. Gange said that FIFA requires host cities to bear all costs for the event and agree to the budget being “open-ended.” Journalist Grant Wahl also pointed out that an “underwhelming host committee was a reason why Mile High City would not get to host the World Cup.

In the end, Denver didn’t make the cut among the 16 North American host cities, 11 of which are in the U.S. Colorado hasn’t hosted a single World Cup match, despite four editions of the tournament (including women’s World Cup) having graced American soil.

Here’s the thing, though. Gange’s take on Arrowhead being a “dump” doesn’t really hold up against the numbers. The Athletic ranked it among the top five stadiums in the country for atmosphere, location, and “suitability for soccer.” FOX ranked Arrowhead second on its list of the ten most iconic NFL stadiums last year, with Empower Field coming in eighth.

Kansas City is hosting six matches. The stadium got upgrades for the occasion, including the temporary removal of 3,500 seats to make room for the pitch. New LED lighting, upgraded HVAC systems, and a grass surface are other notable changes.

The World Cup has been a success for Kansas City. After four group stage matches, the Arrowhead saw a total attendance of 275,079 spectators. The Argentina vs Algeria and Austria vs Algeria matches were sold out. Arrowhead has also hosted royalty in light of the World Cup: King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.

For Denver, the sting isn’t really about Arrowhead’s quality. It’s about watching someone else host the party that they wanted so badly.