KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Two architectural firms based in the Kansas City area have made the final list from which the Chiefs will choose to design their new stadium.
The organization released on Tuesday morning that either MANICA or Populous will lead the process in drawing up plans for the domed stadium when the Chiefs move across state lines into Kansas.
Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, right, and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, pose for a photo during an event announcing the team will leave Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. for a new stadium that will be built across the Kansas-Missouri state line and be ready for the start of the 2031 season, during an event Monday, Dec. 22, 2025 in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)(Charrlie Riedel | AP)
“We’re thrilled to take this next step in our new stadium journey and announce the two finalists in our search for lead designer,” team president Mark Donovan said in a statement. “The Kansas City region is the central hub of global sports and entertainment venue architecture and design, so we didn’t need to go far to identify the top options to explore final concepts for the future home of Chiefs Kingdom.”
MANICA has led projects for:
Nissan Stadium in Nasville, Tennessee (home of the Titans)Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (home of the Raiders)Milan Stadium at San Siro (Milan, Italy)Birmingham City Football Club’s new stadium (Birmingham, United Kingdom)
Meanwhile, Populous has designed:
Highmark Stadium in Buffalo (home of the Bills)Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London, United Kingdom)Sphere (Las Vegas)Wrexham AFC New Kop Stand (Wrexham, United Kingdom)
The stadium is expected to cost $3 billion and will open to begin the 2031 NFL season.
In April 2024, MANICA had shared renderings of what a new Chiefs stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, could look like.
On Dec. 22, the Chiefs announced they would move to Kansas following the 2030 NFL season.
The project is a public-private partnership. Sixty percent will be funded by Kansas and 40 percent by the Chiefs. Sales Tax and Revenue bonds, also known as STAR Bonds, will help finance this project.
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