Four underrated World Cup cities you shouldn’t overlook | OneFootball

This year’s World Cup, spread across the U.S., Mexico and Canada, features some of the most famous venues on the planet, from New York City to Los Angeles.

But it’s also, as we reveal here, a chance for soccer fans to discover some of North America’s most underrated cities. We highlight four that we believe deserve more tourism limelight.

There’s the destination relegated to a “flyover” city by most people, which is home to superb museums and world-beating barbecue, and the Texan metropolis with a soaring, shiny skyline that’s so much more than a business hub — it’s one of America’s most diverse cities and has a mouthwatering food scene.

In Mexico, meanwhile, is a city with awe-inspiring historical landmarks and some of the country’s coolest neighborhoods, along with a hub that’s home to one of the world’s most eye-popping soccer stadiums, plus a beautiful park that began life as a gritty steelworks.

1. Kansas City, Missouri

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Kansas City is where you’ll find top-tier barbecue and museums (Getty Images)

How outsiders might see it — and why they’re wrong: For international tourists, Kansas City is somewhere they’ll often only ever see beneath a wingtip as they fly to somewhere else. To most Americans, it’s perceived as somewhere sensible that’s passionate about jazz, barbecue and sports, but not a vacation city.

That’s the city’s strength — it doesn’t have an ego, but it definitely does know how to have a good time, and there are cultural draws, too. It’s a safe bet that visiting soccer fans will be converts to the Kansas City tourism cause.

What you’ll enjoy there: Kansas City is indisputably obsessed with BBQ, with over 100 eateries specializing in smoked meats. Two standout venues are Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que (set inside a gas station and known for its “Rocket Pig” sandwiches) and Arthur Bryant’s, aka the “King of Ribs.”

Those hungry for culture won’t be disappointed, either. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art houses over 42,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of history — and is free to enter. The city is also home to the moving National WWI Museum and Memorial, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which celebrates legendary players who were once excluded from Major League Baseball, and the American Jazz Museum.

Why it matters for the World Cup: Matches here should feel electric. They will be played at the 76,000-capacity GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the star NFL team the Kansas City Chiefs, and a stadium renowned as one of the loudest venues in world sport, thanks to a passionate fanbase. In fact, in 2014, fans set a Guinness World Record for the loudest crowd roar at an outdoor stadium, reaching 142.2 decibels.

How to get there: Fly into Kansas City International Airport, a 25-minute drive from downtown.

Great place to stay: Luxury property Hotel Kansas City (rooms from $220) is within walking distance of standout soccer bars such as No Other Pub, Strange Days Brewing Co and Johnny's Tavern Power & Light.

2. Houston, Texas

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Houston has a reputation as an office city, but it's actually one of America's most diverse, and full of great restaurants (Getty Images)

How outsiders might see it — and why they’re wrong: Houston, to Europeans, is a contender for U.S. city with the least amount of postcard appeal — a sprawling car hub. Many Americans see it in much the same way. To them, it’s a gigantic office — somewhere you commute to or visit for a meeting — not a city break gem.

But Houston is misunderstood. It’s one of America’s most diverse and charming cities, with a superb food scene, as well as one or two standout museums.

What you’ll enjoy there: The food scene is the headline act. The range of cuisines on offer is superb, from Tex-Mex to Vietnamese, and you don’t need to book weeks in advance. Top spots include Truth BBQ and Ninfa’s on Navigation, which lays claim to be a founder of Tex-Mex Cuisine, and Huynh Restaurant for seriously good Vietnamese.

For culture, head to the Houston Museum District — home to the Museum of Fine Arts, which houses nearly 80,000 works spanning 6,000 years — and the Houston Museum of Natural Science, where you’ll find dinosaur skeletons in the Morian Hall of Paleontology and over 450 rare, sparkling minerals in the Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals. And don’t miss Space Center Houston, home to over 400 space artifacts.

Why it matters for the World Cup: The city’s NRG Stadium, home to the Houston Texans American football team, has 72,000 seats and big-game vibes, and is well used to dealing with huge numbers of fans. So is the city’s well-managed infrastructure, from the highways to the airports. Add in the fact that the city has a soccer-savvy population, and you have all the ingredients for a feast of World Cup fun.

How to get there: George Bush Intercontinental Airport is a major hub, served by direct flights from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. Domestic flights tend to be routed through William P. Hobby Airport.

Great place to stay: (rooms from around $230) is within walking distance of top soccer pub Pitch 25, with standout sports venue The Phoenix on Westheimer a short drive away.

3. Guadalajara, Mexico

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Guadalajara Cathedral, in the historic center, is one of the city's headline landmarks (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

How outsiders might see it —and why they’re wrong: Some see Guadalajara as a business hub, the “Silicon Valley of Mexico,” while others view it as a waypoint on the journey to the Pacific Coast. For many, it doesn’t register as a place to visit, with Mexico City and Cancun the itinerary priorities.

But Guadalajara is Mexico’s cultural heart; the center of mariachi folk music, and home to a stunning cathedral and cool neighborhoods. The city is also a culinary powerhouse, and one of Mexico’s most inclusive cities — it hosts one of the country’s largest Pride parades.

What you’ll enjoy there: As mariachi music fills the air, wander the historic center (Centro Histórico), where you’ll find Guadalajara Cathedral, its twin yellow-tiled spires one of the city’s most photographed sights, and the Instituto Cultural Cabañas, a Unesco Heritage site containing powerful murals by José Clemente Orozco.

Continue to the neighborhoods of Chapultepec and Colonia Americana, where you’ll discover charming, historic architecture and eateries serving classic dishes such as birria (slow-cooked goat stew), tortas ahogadas (sandwiches drenched in chilli sauce).

Why it matters for the World Cup: The tournament will feel decidedly Mexican here, and the modern, “volcano-cone” 50,000-seat Estadio Akron, home to the C.D. Guadalajara soccer team, is known for its passionate, noisy crowds. Fans basing themselves in Guadalajara will discover a dynamic, spirited city that feels anything but second choice.

How to get there: Fly into Guadalajara International Airport, which has direct connections to major U.S. hubs such as Los Angeles, Dallas and Chicago. The airport is about a 30-minute drive from the historic center.

Great place to stay: Hotel Morales (rooms from $120) puts you in the heart of the old city.

4. Monterrey, Mexico

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Monterrey has a spellbinding mountain backdrop, standout museums, and a former steelworks turned public park (Getty Images)

How outsiders might see it — and why they’re wrong: When most people hear “Monterrey,” the city on the Californian coast with a big aquarium springs to mind. But that’s the one spelt with one “r.” Mexico’s “two-r” version, if it even registers, is seen as Mexico’s business capital, not an opportunity for a getaway.

But a closer look reveals pretty parks, historic neighborhoods, and classy museums. And there’s also a stunning mountain backdrop to take in from city viewpoints.

What you’ll enjoy there: The mountainous setting is undeniably memorable. Climb to the Mirador del Obispado viewpoint, crowned by a Mexican flag flying on a 330-foot flagpole, for views of peaks beyond the skyline that include the 6,000-foot-tall Cerro de la Silla and the jagged ridge of Cerro de las Mitras.

Other richly rewarding walks include an exploration of Parque Fundidora — a former steelworks turned public park — and the nearby Barrio Antiguo neighborhood, home to charming colonial architecture, buzzy bars and standout restaurants.

For cultural hits, visit the Museo de Historia Mexicana and the Museo del Noreste, which provide a comprehensive narrative of Mexican history from pre-Hispanic times to the modern era.

A boat ride along the turquoise artificial river running alongside the Paseo Santa Lucía promenade is also highly recommended.

Why it matters for the World Cup: This is one of the tournament’s most visually striking venues. Forming part of the piercing skyline reaching up towards jagged peaks, the 53,000-seat Estadio BBVA, with its polished aluminum skin and cantilevered roof, is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful in the world.

The C.F. Monterrey fans who frequent it have a single-minded zeal for soccer and they’re from a city that will quietly surprise the incoming supporters.

How to get there: Fly into Monterrey International Airport, which has strong connections to U.S. hubs such as Houston, Dallas and Atlanta. The airport is around 30 minutes from downtown by car.