England Scout for World Cup Bases Amidst Concerns of Losing Preferred Base to Holland.
The FA has dispatched officials to the US this week to inspect potential facilities for the upcoming World Cup, amid growing worries that their first-choice base could be taken by the Holland.
Draw Complexities Change Arrangements
Head coach Thomas Tuchel had earlier cleared an FA plan for England to set up camp in Kansas following a pre-tournament training period in Fort Lauderdale. Yet, following last week's group stage draw, there are now concerns that the Netherlands, who have their group games in Kansas, will be given first choice on the chosen facility at Sporting Kansas City—a state-of-the-art centre used by US Soccer.
The world governing body assigns training camps based on geographic location and FIFA rankings if there is a dispute, with the draw possibly placing the FA in competition with the Netherlands and Argentina for sites in the tournament's central region.
Considering Other Locations
With England's group fixtures set to take place in Dallas, Boston, and New Jersey, the FA is now reportedly looking at alternative locations on the US East Coast. The association began its search for training bases at the start of the year, with Tuchel and technical director John McDermott visiting possible sites during the Club World Cup last summer.
In spite of this early planning, there was always an understanding that the final tournament draw could drastically change their plans.
Later Round Travel Strategy
The Three Lions have the eighth most arduous group stage draw in terms of mileage. Topping Group L would put England on track for a last-32 game in Atlanta, then a potential last-16 match in Mexico City.
- Significant Change: The FA may decide to travel from match to match for the later rounds if England progress, a major departure from its usual practice of maintaining a fixed tournament base.
- FIFA Encouragement: FIFA is believed to be actively encouraging such a flexible strategy for the expansive 2026 tournament.
After the base camp is finalized, the FA will turn its attention to arranging two friendly matches in Florida at the beginning of June.
