Two men charged in theft of England World Cup gear in Kansas City

A shipment of England’s World Cup gear vanished on the road to Kansas City, and the missing load reached beyond shirts and boots to stuffed lions, a Lego set and a JBL speaker. Prosecutors in Jackson County charged Mustafa Salik and Erfan Kamal, both of San Antonio, Texas, in a case that exposed how quickly tournament logistics can turn into a security problem.

Both men face one count each of receiving stolen property, a class D felony under Missouri law. If convicted, each could face one to seven years in prison. Authorities said the theft happened while England’s equipment was being transported from the team’s pre-tournament camp in West Palm Beach, Florida, to its base at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri.

Court records and investigators said the recovered haul was worth about $18,145.41, and included autographed team jerseys, soccer cleats, football boots, a World Cup ball, goalkeeper gloves, team apparel and other merchandise. The shipment also reportedly included shirts, stuffed lions and a Lego set, a list that underscores how World Cup travel is not limited to elite performance gear alone but also includes team branding, morale items and promotional materials that help support a global event.

England’s logistics team discovered the missing items when the shipment arrived and then questioned the drivers before asking to search the truck. Officials later recovered most of the equipment from the vehicle, and the Football Association said nothing game-critical was taken. The association said the theft would not affect England’s preparations for its World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in Arlington, Texas.

Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said her office would not tolerate criminal activity targeting World Cup visitors. The case arrives as Kansas City has been positioning Swope Soccer Village as England’s official base camp for the tournament, a role that puts the city at the center of one of soccer’s biggest logistical operations. For a host city built to welcome teams, staff and equipment from across the world, the episode is a reminder that the security chain is only as strong as every handoff between airports, trucks and training grounds.