🔗 Share this article The Three Lions Search for World Cup Training Facilities Following Concerns of Losing Preferred Location to Netherlands. The Football Association has sent scouts to the United States this week to evaluate potential training camps for the upcoming global finals, amid increasing concerns that their first-choice site could be taken by the Holland. Tournament Draw Complications Change Preparations Manager Thomas Tuchel had earlier approved an FA plan for England to locate in Kansas after a warm-up training camp in Fort Lauderdale. However, after the recent tournament draw, there are now concerns that the Netherlands, who have their group games in Kansas, will be given first refusal on the chosen facility at Sporting Kansas City—a high-performance centre operated by US Soccer. FIFA allocates training camps according to geographic location and world rankings if there is competition, with the draw possibly placing the FA in competition with the Netherlands and Argentina for bases in the tournament's south-central region. Exploring Alternative Sites Given England's group fixtures set to take place in Dallas, Boston, and New Jersey, the FA is now reportedly looking at alternative options on the east coast. The FA began its scouting process for training camps at the start of the year, with Tuchel and technical director John McDermott touring possible locations during the Club World Cup last summer. Despite this early preparation, there was always an understanding that the official tournament draw could drastically change their plans. Knockout Stage Travel Plans The Three Lions face the eighth most arduous group stage schedule in terms of mileage. Winning Group L would set England on course for a last-32 game in Atlanta, followed by potential round of 16 tie in Mexico City. Significant Departure: The FA may decide to travel from match to match for the later rounds should England qualify, a significant shift from its usual protocol of maintaining a single tournament base. FIFA Encouragement: FIFA is believed to be actively encouraging such a flexible approach for the expansive 2026 tournament. After the training base is finalized, the FA will focus on arranging two friendly matches in Florida at the beginning of June.