History of the Sporting

Sporting Kansas City, often shortened to Sporting KC, is an American professional soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The administrative offices are located in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and the team clubhouse and practice facilities are located in Kansas City, Kansas, near Children's Mercy Park. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS), having returned in 2015 after spending ten seasons in the Eastern Conference.

Sporting KC began to play in 1996 as a charter team in the league, then known as the Kansas City Wiz. The team was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1995. Since moving across the state line, they have been the only major professional sports league franchise to play their home games in Kansas.

For the majority of their existence, the franchise was known as the Kansas City Wizards. The team rebranded in November 2010, coinciding with its move to its home stadium, now known as Children's Mercy Park. The franchise has won the MLS Cup twice (2000, 2013), the Supporters' Shield in 2000, and the U.S. Open Cup in 2004, 2012, 2015, and 2017.

Established
1995

City
Kansas City

League History
1996 – Present / Major League Soccer

Team History
2010 – Present / Sporting Kansas City
1997 - 2009 / Kansas City Wizards
1996 / Kansas City Wiz

Nickname
Sporting – The title "Sporting" has its origins in Iberia where it is used only by multi-sports clubs with a history of having multiple departments fielding teams across different sports. Kansas City's use of the term has been criticized for inaccuracy and cultural appropriation.

Championship
MLS Cups 1
2013, 2000

Stadium
2011 – Present / Children's Mercy Park
2008 - 2010 / Community American Ballpark
1996 - 2007 / Arrowhead Stadium

Owner
2006 - Present / Sporting Club
1995 – 2006 / Lamar Hunt

Retired Number

*Blue is this team’s history