England Search for World Cup Bases Amidst Concerns of Missing Out On First-Choice Site to Holland.
The Football Association has dispatched scouts to the United States this week to inspect potential training camps for the upcoming World Cup, amidst growing apprehensions that their top-pick site could be taken by the Netherlands.
Draw Complications Change Preparations
Manager Thomas Tuchel had earlier cleared an FA proposal for England to set up camp in Kansas after a warm-up training period in Fort Lauderdale. However, following last week's group stage draw, there are now concerns that the Netherlands, who have their group stage matches in Kansas, will be given priority on the desired facility at Sporting Kansas City—a state-of-the-art centre operated by US Soccer.
The world governing body allocates training camps according to geography and world rankings if there is a dispute, with the draw potentially placing the FA in competition with the Netherlands and Argentina for bases in the tournament's central region.
Considering Alternative Options
With England's group fixtures scheduled to take place in Dallas, Boston, and New Jersey, the FA is now understood to be looking at alternative locations on the eastern seaboard. The association started its search for training camps at the beginning of the year, with Tuchel and director of football John McDermott visiting potential locations during the Club World Cup last summer.
Despite this advanced planning, there was always an understanding that the final tournament draw could significantly alter their plans.
Later Round Logistics Strategy
The Three Lions face the eighth most demanding group stage draw in terms of mileage. Winning Group L would put England on course for a round of 32 game in Atlanta, then a possible round of 16 match in Mexico City.
- Major Change: The FA may decide to travel from match to match for the later rounds if England qualify, a major shift from its usual protocol of having a single tournament base.
- FIFA Encouragement: FIFA is understood to be recommending such a itinerant approach for the expansive 2026 tournament.
After the base camp is finalized, the FA will focus on arranging two warm-up matches in Florida at the start of June.
