Sporting Kansas City, often shortened to Sporting KC, is an American professional soccer club in Kansas City, Kansas, with its main office and historic location in Kansas City, Missouri. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference in Major League Soccer, having returned in 2015 after spending ten seasons in the Eastern Conference.
Sporting KC began 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 were known as the Kansas City Wizards. The team rebranded in November 2010, coinciding with its move to their home stadium, now known as Children's Mercy Park. The franchise has won the MLS Cup twice, the Supporters' Shield in 2000, and the U.S. Open Cup in 2004, 2012, 2015 and 2017.
The club also has a reserve team, Sporting Kansas City II, that plays in the second-tier USL Championship.
Location:
Kansas City
Arena/Stadium:
Children's Mercy Park
Championship years:
2013 and 2000