England’s football squad, captained by Harry Kane and coached by Thomas Tuchel, arrived in Kansas City on June 13 to establish their base camp ahead of the 2026 World Cup [1, 2]. The team aims to win their first World Cup since 1966 and has prepared with two friendly victories in Florida, including a 3-0 win over Costa Rica on June 10 [1, 2].
Kane praised the squad’s preparation leading up to the tournament, calling it "great" and "top drawer." He highlighted the quality of training, togetherness, relaxation, and recovery efforts, saying, "Everything was at the highest level so I feel like we can come into this part of the camp knowing that we’ve had great preparation" [1].
Now settled in Kansas City, Kane said the team was beginning to "feel the real World Cup anticipation" as they focus on the tournament ahead [2]. He described England’s opening Group L match against Croatia on June 17 in Arlington, Texas, as a significant challenge. "Croatia are a difficult team. They proved in the last two World Cups especially that they can be one of the best teams in the tournament and we have to be ready for that," Kane said [1].
Coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed the squad was acclimatised to the local conditions. "We are acclimatised. We have been quite a while in the country. They have worked hard enough. We have been exposed to enough heat," he said [2]. Tuchel said the team was ready to start their World Cup campaign.
England’s preparation and arrival mark a key step as they settle into final training before their first match on June 17. The team will take on Croatia in Arlington to kick off their World Cup hopes [1, 2].