ITV News visited the Kansas training camp where the Three Lions will be based for this year’s World Cup. Yet before a ball has even been kicked, England have already lost out to rivals Argentina, as US Correspondent Dan Rivers explains
By US Correspondent Dan Rivers, additional reporting by Washington News Editor Jonathan Wald
Many football fans might struggle to find Kansas City on a map, but part of the reason it has been chosen as England’s tournament base is simply that it is in the centre of the United States.
It means the players won’t have to endure any gruelling coast-to-coast flights ahead of each match.
The other argument for Kansas City, which straddles its eponymous state and neighbouring Missouri, is the training facilities it offers.
Or so England thought.
Argentina will train at the world-class Compass Minerals National Performance Centre, the site England were hoping for Credit: ITV News
In fact, Thomas Tuchel’s boys have lost their preferred base camp, at the Compass Minerals National Performance Centre, to their arch-rivals Argentina.
FIFA intervened and insisted the South American side could ‘pull-rank’ and use the superior complex, since they are playing a fixture in Kansas City, while England is merely using the mid-west city as a base.
In terms of pitches, it’s unlikely to make any difference, since England’s training ground offers similar well-tended lawns to Argentina’s.
David Beckham poses with Lionel Messi and the MLS Cup trophy won by Inter Miami Credit: AP
Inside the buildings, though, it’s another story. Argentina’s facility is probably the best in America, if not the world.
David Beckham, while visiting, reportedly told staff that he ranked it in the top three globally, and when pressed, couldn’t name anywhere better.
It features pressurised hyperbaric chambers, specialised swimming pools with underwater treadmills, recovery baths, motion capture cameras to assess player gait, a state-of-the-art gym, relaxation rooms with zero-gravity chairs, and much more.
England’s training facility at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri Credit: ITV News
England is hoping to recreate some of these facilities at Swope Park to the south.
There are plans to borrow some equipment from the Compass Minerals complex, but it can’t compete with the extraordinary building on offer to Argentina.
England’s advance party were undeterred by news their nemesis had secured the training ground, telling staff they had “fallen in love” with the city and were determined to base themselves there, even if it meant reassessing their plans.
England will be staying at the Inn at Meadowbrook, which is set on parkland overlooking a lake. Credit: ITV News
England will be staying at the Inn at Meadowbrook, selected for its relaxing atmosphere and set within rolling parkland with picturesque lake views.
The cafe and restaurant will be at the players’ disposal for the duration of their World Cup journey.
Some residents are reportedly irked at the disruption caused by increased security around the hotel, especially as few have ever heard of any of the England players.
Kansas City, where England will base themselves for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Credit: ITV News
It does suggest, though, that the squad will be able to wander the leafy streets largely unnoticed by the locals.
The England team also might have a chance to explore the centre of the so-called Paris of the Plains, which got its nickname from its rich jazz heritage and relaxed approach to Prohibition.
The city is tranquil and green, with reputedly more fountains than any other city apart from Rome.
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There is certainly less to distract the team in terms of nightlife than other big American centres, perhaps explaining why both England, Argentina, the Netherlands, and Algeria have all elected to centre their tournament here.
There is also a flourishing “soccer culture” in KC, as locals call it, which is trying to garner a reputation as the sport’s powerhouse in America.
It already has a rich sporting history with the Kansas City Chiefs NFL side winning three of the last five Super Bowls.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift after the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, 2025 Credit: AP
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Kansas City might be used to having sports legends in its midst, but this summer it will be hosting some of the most famous players in the world from the ‘other’ football.
Lionel Messi still hasn’t formally confirmed his attendance at the tournament, but Argentina’s record goal scorer is likely to be here.
Many England fans will only know Kansas for its links to the Wizard of Oz Credit: ITV News
This will be a contest which will rightly put Kansas City on the map for ‘soccer’ fans, even if right now the only thing many England fans know about Kansas is that it was the fictional home of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.
Thankfully, the tornado season is just about over, clearing the way for a sweltering summer where high humidity and temperatures will test the endurance of all players, no matter how many hyperbaric recovery sessions they have enjoyed.
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