Pakistan, June 1 -- Reigning World Cup champion Argentina arrived in Kansas City on Sunday to begin preparing for its title defense, which starts with a match against Algeria on June 16 at Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the NFL's Chiefs.

The 11-hour flight covering more than 5,500 miles from Ezeiza International Airport touched down in Missouri just after 11 a.m. local time. The flight number for the Aerolineas Argentinas charter was 1978, an homage to the 1978 World Cup that Argentina won as the host nation over the Netherlands before more than 71,000 fans at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires.

The plane itself, an Airbus A330, also celebrated the Argentine squad with special livery. The No. 10 of Lionel Messi was featured on the tail...