WEST PALM BEACH — Twenty-one players from England's 26-man World Cup squad arrived in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday to begin their pre-tournament training camp. The camp precedes England's opening match against Croatia on 17 June in Dallas.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel advised players to spend their post-season holidays in United States time zones to aid acclimatisation ahead of the tournament. Many England players are understood to have followed that guidance, taking breaks in the United States or the Caribbean.
Tuchel requested that players travel west for their off-season break before rejoining the national team. The squad’s tournament training base will be in Kansas City, Missouri, which is six hours behind UK time. England’s group stage matches in Boston and New Jersey will be played in a time zone five hours behind the UK.
During the Florida camp, England will play warm-up matches against New Zealand on 6 June and Costa Rica on 10 June. The team’s full 26-man roster is not yet assembled, as five players will join at a later date.
Arsenal players Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, and Bukayo Saka will arrive after their involvement in European finals. Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson will also join the squad later for the same reason.
Premier League players Alex Scott, Jason Steele, Rio Ngumoha, Josh King, and Ethan Nwaneri are among those who have already reported to the West Palm Beach camp. England's remaining Group L matches against Ghana and Panama will be played in Boston and New Jersey respectively. Studies indicate that nearly a quarter of all World Cup games are likely to be played in temperatures above 26°C, adding to the importance of climate adaptation during preparations.