A 26-9 Week 16 loss to the Tennessee Titans represented Kansas City’s fourth defeat in a row, seeing the Chiefs slump to 6-9. With their playoff hopes in tatters and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes out for the season, many Chiefs fans may already be looking to the future.
This week brought the news that the future of the four-time Super Bowl winners lies away from Arrowhead Stadium. Based at the Missouri site since 1972, the Chiefs are set to head across the state line for a new purpose-built stadium in Kansas. Set to open in 2031, the move will represent the end of an era for the franchise and its fans.
New $4bn Facility Planned
The #Chiefs will be leaving the state of Missouri and will announce a move to Kansas today, with plans to replace the popular but aging Arrowhead Stadium with a new, state-of-the-art venue capable of hosting major year-round events. @SamMcDowell11 first reported the news. pic.twitter.com/fiGrdZ44hh
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 22, 2025
Chiefs’ chairman Clark Hunt announced the news on Monday, 22 December, stating:
Today is an extraordinary day in the history of the Kansas City Chiefs. We are excited to partner with the State of Kansas to bring a world-class stadium to our fans. This project represents another step in our legacy of innovation and our fan-first mentality.
Outlining plans for the new development, Hunt continued,
In the years ahead, we look forward to designing and building a state-of-the-art domed stadium and mixed-use district in Wyandotte County, and a best-in-class training facility, team headquarters, and mixed-use district in Olathe, totalling a minimum of $4 billion of development in the State of Kansas.
The capacity of the new stadium is expected to be around 65,000. That’s over 10,000 fewer than Arrowhead and continues the NFL theme of reducing overall capacity in favour of luxury seating and premium areas.
Kansas Wins Funding Battle
This announcement appears to mark the end of a battle between Kansas and Missouri to secure the future of the hugely popular franchise. Keen to keep the Chiefs in Missouri, Jackson County proposed a tax increase to fund an $800 million redevelopment of Arrowhead and a new stadium for the Kansas City Royals baseball franchise. However, this proposal was rejected by voters, handing the initiative to Kansas.
Ahead of the announcement, Kansas lawmakers voted in favour of a proposal to cover up to 70% of the cost of the stadium and surrounding developments. STAR (Sales Tax and Revenue) bonds will be used to fund the investment, with the bonds set to be repaid using sales and liquor taxes generated in the area around the new site.
The move represents the second blow in a decade for NFL fans in Missouri, following the departure of the St. Louis Rams, who relocated to LA in 2016.
Arrowhead Stadium: The Loudest Stadium in the World
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By the time of the move, the Chiefs will have spent almost 60 years at Arrowhead. The stadium, with its sea of red seats, is one of the oldest and most iconic in the NFL – only the Bears’ Soldier Field and the Packers’ Lambeau Field are older.
The Truman Sports Complex venue is also recognised as one of the most intimidating venues in professional football, with the Chiefs Kingdom regularly acting as a 12th man. Back in 2014, Arrowhead set a new Guinness World Record for the loudest outdoor stadium in all of sports, with a decibel reading of 142.2.
Tough to Say Goodbye
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Given that long history and excellent fan interaction, players, and coaches are likely to miss Arrowhead. Whether Andy Reid is still in Kansas in 2031 remains to be seen, but the head coach summed up his feelings for the stadium when stating: “We love playing in Arrowhead. You know how that goes. Our players get fired up. When you come out of that tunnel, and it’s red, and it’s loud, it’s a beautiful thing.”
Expected to retire in the immediate future, Travis Kelce won’t be suiting up in 2031, but he also expressed his love for the Chiefs’ long-term home: “Arrowhead is home for me. It’s a part of my heart, playing in that stadium.”
For Clark Hunt, this must be a tough decision, particularly as his father, Lamar Hunt, founded the Chiefs and facilitated the building of Arrowhead. However, the chairman emphasised the importance of the fans over bricks and mortar when stating:
It will be difficult to bid farewell to Arrowhead Stadium in a few years. Like so many of you, Arrowhead reminds me of family memories and unforgettable moments. But the truth is, what makes Chiefs game days so special is you. Seats don’t make noise, concrete doesn’t intimidate opponents, parking lots don’t cook barbecue. You do.