Where are the World Cup teams calling home during the games?
The 2026 World Cup marks the first time three countries are hosting the World Cup together. With the newly expanded format, where 48 countries now get the chance to compete for the coveted title, this means having to find sufficient space to host all the competitors.
From location to weather, each country got the chance to strategically choose where they would like to practice. Here are where the 48 countries are practicing in this year’s World Cup.
Arizona
As the only country in the desert, Türkiye will be enjoying, or more realistically, enduring, the Arizona heat. With the Arizona heat reaching 100 degrees and higher, Türkiye will have to learn to cope with the extreme heat, though this could be an advantage. With the summer weather soon to increase, the 2002 World Cup bronze medalist will get the chance to acclimate to the North American weather.
California
As one of the largest states to host the World Cup, California is home to the Australia, Austria, New Zealand, Paraguay, Qatar, Switzerland and the United States football teams. The warmer California weather once again puts these teams at an advantage to get used to how the World Cup will be played this year.
Though the U.S. team typically practices at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Atlanta, Georgia, playing in California means playing at a bigger stage, with hundreds and thousands of fans visiting the Golden State for the World Cup — and it’s only the second round of the group stages.
Florida
Down in the beaches of Florida, Cabo Verde, Curaçao and Portugal will be practicing in the Sunshine State. For the two island nations, Cabo Verde and Curaçao, Florida will feel somewhat familiar to them. But for Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, Florida will be the best location for its group stage matches. With Houston and Miami being their next two locations, practicing in Palm Beach Gardens means not having to travel far for competition.
Georgia
For their first-ever appearance at the World Cup, Uzbekistan chose Georgia as its home for the time being. Training at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground, home of Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United, Uzbekistan will enjoy the recently renovated and expanded facility for their stay.
Kansas
Algeria and Argentina are placed at an advantage with their training ground located in Kansas. By practicing right in the middle of the country, travel time will be minimized, allowing for more rest time in between matches. And with Lionel Messi’s Argentina ready to make its second World Cup win in a row, having ample resting time may just be the key to their success.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts’ cooler climate will make practices smooth-sailing for France. With Boston Logan International Airport’s efficiency, traveling around the continent will make it easier for the 2018 World Cup champions.
Missouri
Similarly, Missouri’s central location will be ideal for the England and Netherlands teams. England will be playing at the historic Swope Soccer Village, where it was previously home to Manchester United, Manchester City and the U.S. Men’s and Women’s teams since its 2007 opening.
Netherlands will be sitting comfortably in the recently opened KC Current Training Center. With world-class training amenities and 17,000 square feet of space, the KC Current Training Center will provide the Oranje a highly practical place to prepare for the World Cup.
New Jersey
While it makes sense for larger states like California and Texas to host four countries, New Jersey is surprisingly able to host four countries within its state borders. Home to Haiti, Morocco, Senegal and five-time World Cup champions Brazil, New Jersey’s close proximity to New York will attract a large number of fans to the World Cup. And with the final game hosted in MetLife Stadium, these countries definitely have the upper hand if they’re able to make it far in the competition.
North Carolina
North Carolina will be home to Germany, Norway and Scotland. With Germany training at Wake Forest University, Norway at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Scotland in Charlotte, FC’s training grounds, North Carolina will be ideal in terms of travel, with Germany, Norway and Scotland’s matches located on the west side of the continent.
Ohio
With Ecuador training at the Columbus Crew Performance Center in Columbus, Ohio, this is once again strategic in terms of travel time. With matches against Curaçao and top dog Germany, located in Missouri and New Jersey, Ecuador is placed between the two states, lowering the travel time.
Oregon
For the first time in history, Jordan qualified for the World Cup, and Portland, Oregon, will be there to host this historic accomplishment. Practicing at the University of Portland, Jordan will get to enjoy Oregon’s cool climate and gorgeous coastlines while being close to San Francisco for their game against Algeria.
Pennsylvania
Home to MLS team Philadelphia Union, Cǒte d’Ivoire will be staying at Subaru Park for their World Cup run. With two out of their three group stages located in Philadelphia, this gives Cǒte d’Ivoire a home advantage, which is so far panning to be a success following their 1-0 win against Ecuador.
Rhode Island
Even though it’s the smallest host in this year’s World Cup, Rhode Island will be home to 4-time AFCON champions Ghana. Holding the record with Nigeria for the most World Cup matches won by an African nation, Ghana will have their work cut out for them as they will be competing against England and Croatia next. But with their matches being played in Boston and Philadelphia, practicing in Rhode Island eliminates long travel hours and allows for ample rest time.
Tennessee
When it was announced that Spain would be training in Tennessee, many couldn’t believe that the European giants would be training in a small town in Chattanooga. To make this funnier, Spain will be training at a high school as opposed to a dedicated soccer training complex. However, the Baylor School was chosen by Spain for the privacy and more scenic area as opposed to training in a busier city. Additionally, the Baylor School boasts high-class soccer facilities in its school.
Japan will also join Spain in Tennessee as the Asian country will be based in Nashville. Training in the Nashville SC Training Center, the center is home to Nashville SC, which has become a dominant club in the MLS, recently winning the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against Austin FC last year.
Texas
Home to Congo DR, Czechia, Saudi Arabia and Sweden, Texas’s massive landscape will allow the four nations to train comfortably. Training in Houston, Mansfield, Austin and Frisco will be accessible for the four countries, as their remaining group stages will be located in the South and in Mexico. The only thing the four teams will have to get used to is the Texas heat!
Utah
Sandy, Utah, will be home to Bosnia and Herzegovina in their second-ever World Cup appearance. Being far removed from busier cities, Utah will be adequate for Bosnia and Herzegovina,2 as the country will need all the focus in the world for their upcoming, much-needed win against Qatar.
Viriginia
2018 runner-ups Croatia will be making Virginia their home for the time being. With their next games in Toronto and Philadelphia, Virginia is perfectly situated between the two cities. Additionally, as the only country practicing in the state, Croatia will need Virginia’s seclusion to focus on their upcoming games as they’re currently sitting at the bottom of Group L.
Washington
Home to Lumen Field, Belgium and Egypt will get the chance to experience the Pacific Northwest’s best. Training in Renton and Spokane, the cool weather will make practices easier to manage. And with the two teams already facing each other at Lumen Field in their first group stage game, the atmosphere was electric as the two countries played in one of the world’s loudest stadiums in a 1-1 draw.
West Virginia
Similar to Croatia, Iraq will need all the help they can get. With two tough upcoming matches, Iraq will be facing France and Senegal, where they will be competing in Philadelphia and Toronto, respectively. Iraq will have the whole state to themselves to train.
Jalisco, Mexico
Known for their passionate fans, Colombia and South Korea will be playing in Jalisco, Mexico. While its location is farther away from the U.S. cities, the hot weather will allow the two nations to acclimate better. For South Korea, playing in Mexico has been a joyride for their fans, who have been enjoying their time learning about Mexican culture.
Tijuana, Mexico
Iran was originally scheduled to train in Tucson, Arizona. However, with the ongoing U.S. and Iran conflict, Iran was forced to scrap its plans at the last minute and practice in Tijuana, Mexico. However, with upcoming games in Los Angeles and Seattle, Iran was initially not allowed to stay in the U.S. overnight, but this has since been overturned.
Mexico City, Mexico
As one of the three host nations, Mexico has a big advantage as they’re able to practice on home soil. By eliminating the long travel time and being already used to playing in the Mexican heat, Mexico is more than ready to be a force to be reckoned with, becoming the first country to reach the Round of 32.
Hidalgo, Mexico
With one game in the group stage left, South Africa will need all the luck they can get in their final game against South Korea as they sit at the bottom of Group A. And with their training grounds in Hidalgo, Mexico, South Africa will only need to hop on a one-and-a-half-hour flight to compete in Guadalupe.
Nuevo León, Mexico
After getting a thrashing from Sweden, Tunisia will need all the help they can get for their upcoming game against the Netherlands. With the game being played in Kansas City, Tunisia will have to travel far and wide for their must-need win game.
Quintana Roo, Mexico
Known for their resort spots in Cancun and the Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo in Mexico will host Uruguay. The two-time World Cup champions won’t have to travel too far from their home nation for practices. Uruguay is also playing in an exciting group, where they will face European giant Spain in Zapopan, Mexico.
Vancouver, Canada
Host nation Canada doesn’t have to travel too far either, as their training grounds are located in Vancouver. Canada made history by winning its first-ever World Cup game against Qatar in an impressive 6-0 victory. By playing the game on home turf, celebrations went wild for the Canadians.
Ontario, Canada
Sitting third in Group L, Panama will need to do well in its next two games. Fortunately for them, having their training grounds in Ontario, Canada, will make the process slightly easier as Panama will face Croatia in Toronto and England in New Jersey. And the cooler Canadian weather will make their practices just a little bit more bearable.
Wrap-Up
While having three countries host the World Cup allows for more space to host more countries, there are plenty of logistical considerations when choosing a practice location. From deciding to practice in cooler weather to finding a more central location, these considerations could make or break a country’s World Cup chances.
Related:
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