England manager Thomas Tuchel has outlined his vision for using Kansas City as the team's 'home base' during the 2026 World Cup group stage, emphasizing a small hotel for privacy and familiarity amid heavy travel. This follows the FA's earlier request for Swope Soccer Village as the training site.
Building on the Football Association's January request to FIFA for Swope Soccer Village as England's primary training base, head coach Thomas Tuchel detailed why Kansas City will serve as the team's 'home' during the 2026 World Cup. He prefers a smaller, intimate hotel over larger U.S. venues, citing benefits like privacy, fresh air from openable windows, and consistent bedding. 'We’re trying to [stay in Kansas City] because, basically that was the choice, to have a home, to have a bed that you’re used to sleep in, to have a bed with a good mattress, to have a hotel with privacy … a small hotel,' Tuchel said ahead of the tournament.
Despite the group stage's nearly 9,000 miles of travel—starting June 17 against Croatia in Arlington, Texas, then Ghana on June 23 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Panama on June 27 in New Jersey—the team plans to return to Kansas City frequently. Pre-tournament warm-ups in Florida will include matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica. Tuchel noted positive player feedback on the late start and condensed schedule: 'I have feedback from the players that they like we start late, that they like that it then becomes condensed so you have no chance to get bored.' He emphasized using the setup to build team chemistry.
