England Search for FIFA 2026 Bases Amid Fears of Losing First-Choice Location to Netherlands.
The FA has dispatched officials to the US this week to evaluate potential training camps for the upcoming World Cup, amid growing concerns that their top-pick site could be taken by the Netherlands.
Tournament Draw Complexities Change Plans
Head coach Thomas Tuchel had previously cleared an FA strategy for England to be based in Kansas following a pre-tournament training camp in Fort Lauderdale. However, after last week's tournament draw, there are now concerns that the Netherlands, who play their group stage matches in Kansas, will be awarded first choice on the desired facility at Sporting Kansas City—a high-performance centre operated by US Soccer.
The world governing body allocates training bases based on geography and FIFA rankings if there is a dispute, with the draw potentially pitting the FA in competition with the Netherlands and Argentina for sites in the tournament's south-central region.
Considering Alternative Locations
With England's group stage matches set to take place in Dallas, Boston, and New Jersey, the FA is now reportedly investigating alternative options on the eastern seaboard. The FA started its search for training bases at the beginning of the year, with Tuchel and technical director John McDermott touring possible sites during the Club World Cup last summer.
Despite this advanced preparation, there was always an understanding that the official tournament draw could significantly alter their plans.
Knockout Stage Travel Strategy
England have the eighth most demanding group stage schedule in terms of travel. Topping Group L would put England on track for a last-32 game in Atlanta, then a possible round of 16 tie in Mexico City.
- Significant Change: The FA may decide to travel from match to match for the knockout stages if England progress, a significant departure from its standard practice of having a fixed tournament base.
- FIFA Encouragement: FIFA is believed to be actively encouraging such a itinerant strategy for the expansive 2026 tournament.
Once the base camp is finalized, the FA will focus on arranging two friendly matches in Florida at the start of June.
