Possible 2026 World Cup training camps include sites in non-tournament cities
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Possible team training camps for the 2026 World Cup include sites in Chattanooga, Tennessee; Cincinnati; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Louisville, Kentucky; St. Louis; Salt Lake City and Herriman, Utah; San Antonio; and Westfield, Indiana.
FIFA announced more details of the tournament Wednesday, one day after the two-year mark before the kickoff on June 11, 2026, at Mexico City, The first World Cup to be played in three nations and the first with a field expanded to 48 nations will have 78 of 104 games in the United States and 13 each in Mexico and Canada.
The final will be July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, FIFA announced on Feb. 4. All games from the quarterfinals on will be in the U.S.
Proposed training sites in the areas of U.S. game venues are in Chester, Pennsylvania; Dallas, Fort Worth and Frisco, Texas; Kansas City and Riverside, Missouri, and Lawrence, Kansas; Marietta, Georgia; and St. Louis. There also are possible training camps in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Toluca, and Monterrey but none were listed in Canada.
FIFA said more possible training camps will be added.
In addition, FIFA listed specific site matchups for games in the new round of 32, round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals, revealing the pathway through the knockout rounds for the host nations.
If the U.S. wins Group D, it would play its first knockout match at Santa Clara, California, on July 1. The winner of that game plays at Seattle on July 6, could be in a quarterfinal at Inglewood, California, on July 10 and a semifinal at Arlington, Texas, on July 14.
If the U.S. finishes second in its group, it would next play at Arlington on July 3. The winner of that game plays at Atlanta on July 7, could be in a quarterfinal at Kansas City on July 11 and a semifinal at Atlanta on July 15.
The Americans open at Inglewood on June 12, play seven days later at Seattle and finished the group stage at Inglewood on June 25.
If Mexico wins Group A, its knockout games en route to a final would be at Mexico City on June 30 and July 4, Miami Gardens on July 11 and Atlanta on July 15. If El Tri finishes second, its games route would be at Inglewood on June 28, Houston on July 4, Foxborough, Massachusetts, on July 9 and Arlington on July 14.
If Canada wins Group B, it would play in Vancouver, British Columbia, on July 2 and then in Vancouver again on July 7 if it advances. A quarterfinal would be at Kansas City on July 11. If Canada finishes second, it could play at Inglewood, Houston and Foxborough.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
