The Three Lions Search for FIFA 2026 Training Facilities Amid Fears of Losing First-Choice Location to the Dutch.
England's football governing body has dispatched operational staff to the US this week to look at potential bases for the upcoming tournament, amidst increasing apprehensions that their preferred site could be taken by the Netherlands.
Tournament Draw Complications Disrupt Plans
Head coach Thomas Tuchel had previously approved an FA strategy for England to set up camp in Kansas following a pre-tournament training period in Fort Lauderdale. However, after the recent group stage draw, there are now concerns that the Netherlands, who play their group games in Kansas, will be awarded first refusal on the desired facility at Sporting Kansas City—a high-performance centre used by US Soccer.
FIFA assigns training camps according to geographic location and world rankings if there is a dispute, with the draw potentially pitting the FA in competition with the Netherlands and Argentina for bases in the tournament's central region.
Considering Alternative Locations
Given England's group stage matches set to take place in Dallas, Boston, and New Jersey, the FA is now understood to be investigating other locations on the eastern seaboard. The FA started its scouting process for training bases at the beginning of the year, with Tuchel and director of football John McDermott touring potential locations during the Club World Cup last summer.
Despite this early planning, there was always an understanding that the final tournament draw could drastically change their plans.
Later Round Travel Plans
The Three Lions face the eighth most demanding group stage draw in terms of travel distance. Topping Group L would put England on track for a round of 32 game in Atlanta, followed by possible last-16 tie in Mexico City.
- Significant Departure: The FA may opt to choose to move between venues for the knockout stages should England progress, a significant shift from its usual protocol of having a single tournament base.
- FIFA Encouragement: FIFA is believed to be actively encouraging such a flexible approach for the expansive 2026 tournament.
Once the training base is confirmed, the FA will turn its attention to organizing two friendly matches in Florida at the start of June.
