With just a few months left until the start of the 2026 World Cup, England will soon travel to the United States to begin a campaign that sees them as one of the favorites to win the title for the first time since 1966.
If Thomas Tuchel and the FA are to deliver their first senior men’s trophy in 60 years, they will need impeccable preparation and an ideal foundation to provide the ‘home away from home’ feeling seen as key to success.
This year it will be held at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri. Being based in the Central region gives Great Britain easy access to the three group matches in Dallas, Boston and New York-New Jersey, with minimal travel time important for traveling across the vast United States, which is co-hosted with Mexico and Canada.
Kansas City also has a rich sports pedigree. Best known for its NFL team, the Kansas City Chiefs, this city is also called the ‘Home of Football in America.’ There are two soccer teams: Sporting Kansas City, an MLS team, and Kansas City Current, an NWSL team. With the Kansas City Royals baseball team, this city is often crowded with sports fans.
And while there has been tremendous sporting success in Kansas City, hosting England’s training base for the World Cup has been labeled a “historic moment” by Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.
He provided insight into what the Three Lions can expect from Kansas City and the Swope Soccer Village. Sky Sports: “We are very excited to host England. I have been to England a few times and have come to know the passion of British fans, but I think I will be able to learn even more through this activity.
England will be based at Swope Soccer Village, one of Sporting Kansas City’s training facilities.
“Swope’s choice was inspired by a few different reasons. First of all, the history of the park. When we brought the Kansas City Chiefs here, it was the first place they practiced and trained, so there was some history in American sports lore over the years.
“When our soccer team came, we trained there and about 15 years ago we decided it was important to invest in better on-field opportunities there. Part of that was to have a great training ground for visiting teams, but it was also to have a great practice facility for youth soccer in the United States.
“It’s in the middle of the park, so it’s a bit secluded. You have some privacy, unless people are taking up every possible street corner and there’s 50,000 fans in that space!
“The park itself also has two golf courses nearby. The area also has swimming facilities and other facilities that provide relaxation and other comforts.
“You end up with an opportunity to take over our entire community on the southern edge of Kansas City, and that will benefit them.
“Not in the middle of the busiest part of the city, not in the middle of a crowd, not in a place with a lot of distractions.”
There may not be too many people in the immediate vicinity, but Mayor Lucas pointed out that the UK’s presence will have a positive impact on the local population.
“The World Cup comes at a time when there are all kinds of discussions about diversity in America and how we all get along,” he added.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Rob Dorsett and Pete Smith take a closer look at Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad and how it will ultimately look heading into this summer’s World Cup.
“This town is an example of America at its best. It is part of the African-American community in Kansas City and is always in need of more investment. England training here was probably one of the greatest historical moments in East Kansas City history.
“Although the Football Association may not have known the impact it could have, what we have tried to say to black Kansans, Latino Kansans and many other communities is that this is not just about a great game played in a soccer stadium seven miles from the heart of our city, it is about all of you.
“So what the UK really brings is great connections with a lot of people in the community and that’s why I’m so excited.
“I love and respect every team we have, but I grew up at Swope Park. Above all, this is a very historic moment for our city. To say we are going to host England is something I never could have imagined as a boy growing up here in Kansas.”
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky Sports News senior reporter Rob Dorsett rounded out the best bits from Thomas Tuchel’s press conference, naming his squad for the games against Uruguay and Japan.
How KC prepares for the World Cup
England won’t be the only team visiting Kansas City during the World Cup. Argentina, the Netherlands and Algeria will also have bases in Kansas City.
All three teams will play their group games at Kansas City Stadium for a total of six games, and Mayor Lucas wants visiting fans to treat his home as their own.
And while Kansas City is accustomed to hosting large crowds, having so many people coming in and out of the city over a compressed period of time will present new challenges and opportunities for Mayor Lucas and his office, including keeping the city’s bars open 23 hours a day.
“One of them is that we have built excellent transportation for the city,” he explained.
“In many American cities outside of New York and Boston, public transportation isn’t always the best, so spending tens of millions of dollars to help fans get to better places is an important part of what we’re doing.
“We have also strengthened security and worked closely with the White House. This is probably one of the few areas in American politics where there is real bipartisan consensus.
“I’m a Democrat and there are a lot of different people in the White House, but I’ve been working very closely with them, the FIFA task force, their leadership, all the way down to the president. Everyone is interested in how great this can be for our city.
Lucas (right) holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy with Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid.
“What’s going to be interesting, we’ll see how it goes, is that they’ve changed the rules so bars, pubs and taverns will be open 23 hours a day. “This will be a good thing for pub owners and I hope everyone will act accordingly.
“But we’re trying to let our guests take control in a way. We’ll be here and we’ll enjoy it, but we want to keep the tradition.”
“We know that the march to the games will be an important part for our Dutch followers. Algeria is also here, so we are learning about different cultural customs to make sure we are prepared for everyone.”
‘People were pleasantly surprised by their visit’
People from all over the world come to Kansas City and want to experience all that Missouri City has to offer while feeling welcomed and a home away from home.
When asked for a recommendation, Mayor Lucas responded: “The stupid part of me would like to say that Kansas City has a great World War I museum, a national World War I museum for our country. It’s a great place to visit.
“FIFA Fan Fest is actually taking place on the museum grounds, so we are killing two birds with one stone. It will be a venue for incredible fan engagement, family activities and more.
“But the same goes for the bars and music scene. An underused nickname for Kansas City is ‘Paris of the Plains.’ It mainly comes from the 1920s because so many people came here to celebrate. There was a lot of cultural stuff in this area and you have a chance to see it when you come here.
“We’re not in Las Vegas where what happens here stays here, but we have the opportunity to have a great time at a low price in the middle of America where you can go anywhere else. I’ve seen so many people be pleasantly surprised by their visits.”
