Kansas City celebrated a significant milestone in women's professional sports with the opening of CPKC Stadium, the first purpose-built venue for a women's pro sports team, according to reports from various sources including MLS, ESPN, and FOX Soccer. The historic event was marked by Vanessa DiBernardo scoring the first goal in the new stadium during a match attended by a sold-out crowd. The development of CPKC Stadium, which took 527 days from groundbreaking to opening, has been hailed as a monumental moment for women's sports worldwide. Despite claims of being the first stadium of its kind in the U.S., the DiCicco Method pointed out that it is actually the third, following SAS Park for Carolina Courage (2002) and KSU Stadium for Atlanta Beat (2010). Nonetheless, the achievement has garnered widespread support and congratulations from the soccer community, including Sporting Kansas City, the NWSL, and various soccer personalities who recognized the significance of this advancement for the sport.
Scenes from @thekccurrent's first match at CPKC Stadium 🎆🏟️ https://t.co/MCPx1PeK6Y
HISTORY! 👏 First goal ever at Kansas City's shiny new jewel box of a stadium. A sold out crowd making NWSL memories they will carry for their whole lives 🏟️🥰 https://t.co/V7vVloYxRw
HISTORY MADE 👏 The first-ever goal in CPKC Stadium. 🎥: @NWSL https://t.co/AuMcOOn8Ij
HISTORY FOR THE CURRENT‼️ Vanessa DiBernardo scores the first goal in CPKC Stadium 💪 https://t.co/8FxccN1ccY
🤩🏟️ A stadium built for @NWSL. Congrats, @thekccurrent! https://t.co/RdHga0thDw
Massive kudos to @AngieKLong1 & @cdlong97 for their vision and investment into @thekccurrent and women’s professional soccer. No better way to kick off the 2024 @NWSL season than in @cpkcstadium and celebrating this historic moment. #OnwardAndUpward https://t.co/NVSLjz14rc
Never gets old. Another year, another soccer-specific stadium opening. This one in downtown KC. Congrats to @thekccurrent and @NWSL on @cpkcstadium. American soccer…you’ve come a long way, baby.🇺🇸⚽️ https://t.co/oqJzDP1XJu
527 days ago, the team broke ground. Today, the KC Current will finally open CPKC Stadium—the first purpose-built venue for a women’s pro sports team. https://t.co/fxpvreeeNY
Good luck this season @thekccurrent! And happy opening day at @cpkcstadium! Another monumental moment in The Soccer Capital of America 📍 #SportingKC | #KCBABY https://t.co/oDg8WlJLmi
Monumental day today for women’s sports around the world. All eyes will be on @thekccurrent of @NWSL opening the 1st stadium for women EVER! @mleach78 and company just doing what they do on @ABC today at 1pm. 👊🏼💪🏼🤌🏼https://t.co/RHBgkN11aa
The KC stadium opening tomorrow is the THIRD stadium built specifically for women’s soccer in 🇺🇸, no matter how many times they say it’s the first. SAS Park - Carolina Courage (2002) KSU Stadium - Atlanta Beat (2010) Building on the history isn’t a bad thing. Ignoring it is.
.@thekccurrent’s home opener tomorrow is historic! Kansas City is known for many things - fountains, BBQ, championships, and now the first-ever purpose-built stadium for women’s professional sports. Congratulations and good luck! 🌊⚽️ #KCBABY https://t.co/y3AiwYg8KN
There's nothing like a soccer Saturday in KC. 🤩 Sporting Kansas City and the KC Current play at home in their own stadiums for the first time ever tomorrow. https://t.co/WPjyKDCFCO