Our Guide to the Far-Flung Base Camps That World Cup Teams Are Calling Home

From leafy boarding schools to sun-drenched resorts, 48 squads are setting up shop across three countries—and hoping to stay as long as possible

https://www.wsj.com/sports/soccer/our-guide-to-the-far-flung-base-camps-that-world-cup-teams-are-calling-home-cd56ed4d

June 7, 2026 at 7:00 am ET

The toughest challenge of the biggest World Cup in soccer history wasn’t figuring out which 48 teams should play at the tournament. It was working out where to put them.

But now, as the entire soccer world descends on the U.S., Canada and Mexico to play 104 matches—and criss-cross the country on dozens and dozens of flights—teams are turning high school fields into practice pitches, checking into college dorms and luxury hotels, and, for some, enduring the most jersey-melting heat of American summer. Here is our pick of the bunch.

Democratic Republic of Congo

in Houston

Based on the Universal Thermal Climate Index, which measures how conditions affect the comfort of the human body, the Democratic Republic of Congo in Houston will experience the worst climate of any base camp. With an 83 on a 100 scale, it even beats out Boca Raton, Fla., and Playa del Carmen for the most oppressive weather of this World Cup.

Universal Thermal Climate Index

More heat stress

Less heat stress

CANADA

UNITED STATES

MEXICO

Base camp site

Sources: Lobelia; the teams
Brian McGill and Carl Churchill/WSJ

Honorable mention: Curacao in Boca Raton, Fla.

France

in Boston

Fresh off the plane from Paris, the French national team was never going to settle for anything less than five-star accommodation. Les Bleus, as the team is known, will be perusing the breakfast buffet and padding around the plush carpets of Boston’s Four Seasons. And they intend to make it a long stay: France is among the favorites to reach the final.

The Four Seasons hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, where the French national football team have established their base camp. AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Honorable mention: Iraq at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

Algeria, Argentina, England and The Netherlands

in Kansas City, Mo./Kan.

Due to Kansas City’s geography in the middle of the U.S. and the quality of its soccer training facilities, the four base camps in the newly anointed “Soccer Capital of America” were quickly scooped up by some of the top teams at the tournament. With priority given to the teams with the highest FIFA ranking, Argentina, England and the Netherlands all chose their locations early in the process. Algeria also elected to train in nearby Lawrence, Kan.

Base camps around Kansas City

435

Kansas City

Lawrence

MO.

KAN.

5 miles

Source: FIFA

Honorable mention: Southern California

Bosnia and Herzegovina

in Sandy, Utah

Bosnia and Herzegovina had not yet qualified for the World Cup when the draw for the group stage unfolded. But once they punched their ticket by eliminating Italy, they grabbed Real Salt Lake’s stadium in Utah last month. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s match locations are the most spread out of any team with two trips to the West Coast and one to Ontario. In all, it will take nearly 7,500 flight miles, just to make it to their group games.

Bosnia and Herzegovina group stage travel

1,150 miles

1,670 miles

920 miles

Source: FIFA

Honorable mention: Austria in Goleta, Calif.

Spain

in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Few soccer fans had “Spain in Chattanooga” on their bingo cards, but here we are: La Roja has volunteered to set up in Tennessee for the month. Look closely, however, and it’s easy to see why. The team camp is the prestigious and private Baylor School, with its 690-acre campus and 50-meter swimming pool. (If Spain’s 18-year-old star Lamine Yamal were attending high school there instead of playing at the World Cup, his tuition would be around $71,000 a year.)

The Baylor School will host Spain’s team. FIFA

Honorable mention: Jordan in Portland, Ore.

Mexico

in Mexico City

World Cup co-host Mexico has a light travel schedule. El Tri plays all three of their group stage games in Mexico, including two at the legendary Estadio Azteca, just a few miles from the national team’s home training center in the southern part of Mexico City. The team’s other match is just 280 miles away in Guadalajara.

Centro

Polanco

Roma Norte

150D

Coyoacán

UNAM

4.1 miles

2 miles

Source: FIFA

Honorable mention: Paraguay in San Jose, Calif.

United States

in Irvine, Calif.

American athletes like to talk about hitting the road for major games as “just a business trip”—and for the U.S. men’s national team, this will feel just like one. By basing itself in Irvine, Calif., the Americans have chosen something closer to a corporate retreat—and SoFi Stadium—than a luxury resort. Their other option was U.S. Soccer’s brand new, $250 million training center outside Atlanta. But with their group games all on the West Coast, they opted for convenience.

The U.S. team’s base camp at the Great Park Sports Complex in Irvine, Calif. REUTERS

Honorable mention: Ecuador in Columbus, Ohio

Uruguay

in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Uruguay probably won’t win the World Cup, but La Celeste is already a champion in the base camp sweepstakes. The team from South America chose to spend this summer in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and occasionally leave the beach when it takes on Saudi Arabia, Cabo Verde and Spain in the group stage.

The resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, where Uruguay will stay. AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Honorable mention: Qatar in Montecito, Calif.

Croatia

in Alexandria, Va.

Croatia must travel to Dallas, Toronto and Philadelphia for its group games, but it will recover between those matches in the preppy boarding-school confines of Episcopal High School in the D.C. suburbs. While there, players may enjoy a well-stocked library, relax in a bespoke ceramics studio, or choose to fill out an Ivy League application.

Episcopal High School athletic fields in Alexandria, Va. FIFA

Honorable mention: Morocco at The Pingry School in Basking Ridge, N.J.

2026 FIFA World Cup Base Camps

Table with 5 columns and 48 rows. Sorted ascending by column “TEAM” (column headers with buttons are sortable)TEAMBASE CAMPAlgeriaRock Chalk Park, University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kan.ArgentinaSporting KC Training Center
Kansas City, Kan.AustraliaOakland Roots/Soul Training Facility
Alameda, Calif.AustriaUC Santa Barbara
Goleta, Calif.BelgiumSeattle Sounders Facility
Renton, Wash.Bosnia & HerzegovinaAmerica First Field
Sandy, UtahBrazilColumbia Park Training Facility
Morristown, N.J.CanadaNational Soccer Development Centre
Vancouver, B.C.Cape VerdeWaters Sportsplex
Tampa, Fla.ColombiaAcademia Atlas FC
Guadalajara, MexicoCongo, D.R.SaberCats Stadium
Houston, TexasCroatiaEpiscopal High School
Alexandria, Va.CuraçaoFlorida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Fla.Czech RepublicMansfield Stadium
Mansfield, TexasEcuadorOhioHealth Performance Center
Columbus, OhioEgyptGonzaga University
Spokane, Wash.EnglandSwope Soccer Village
Kansas City, Mo.FranceBentley University
Boston, Mass.GermanyWake Forest University
Winston-Salem, N.C.GhanaBryant University
Providence, R.I.HaitiStockton University
Galloway, N.J.IranCentro Xoloitzcuintle
Tijuana, MexicoIraqThe Greenbrier
White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.Ivory CoastSubaru Park
Chester, Pa.JapanVanderbilt Health Training Center
Nashville, Tenn.JordanUniversity of Portland
Portland, Ore.MexicoCentro de Alto Rendimiento
Mexico City, MexicoMoroccoThe Pingry School
Basking Ridge, N.J.NetherlandsKC Current Training Facility
Riverside, Mo.New ZealandUniversity of San Diego
San Diego, Calif.NorwayUNC Greensboro
Greensboro, N.C.PanamaNottawasaga Training Site
New Tecumseth, OntarioParaguaySan Jose State University
San Jose, Calif.PortugalGardens North County District Park
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.QatarWestmont College
Montecito, Calif.Saudi ArabiaAustin FC
Austin, TexasScotlandAtrium Health Performance Park
Charlotte, N.C.SenegalRutgers University
New Brunswick, N.J.South AfricaClub Pachuca Facilities
Pachuca, MexicoSouth KoreaChivas Verde Valle
Guadalajara, MexicoSpainThe Baylor School
Chattanooga, Tenn.SwedenToyota Stadium
Frisco, TexasSwitzerlandSan Diego Jewish Academy
San Diego, Calif.TunisiaRayados Training Center
Monterrey, MexicoTurkeyArizona Athletic Grounds
Mesa, Ariz.UruguayMayakoba Training Centre
Playa del Carmen, MexicoUSAGreat Park
Irvine, Calif.UzbekistanAtlanta Training Ground
Marietta, Ga.

*total round trip distance to the team’s three group stage matches, in miles (only available on larger screens)

Source: FIFA

Audrey Valbuena is a designer at The Wall Street Journal, specializing in digital page design, user experience and art direction. Before joining the Journal, Audrey worked as a senior designer at the Washington Post and as an associate product manager at the New York Times. Her work has been recognized most notably as a Pulitzer finalist and by the Society for News Design.Follow

Brian McGill is a graphics reporter in The Wall Street Journal’s Washington bureau. Brian works as part of the Journal’s visuals team focused on data, politics and science. Prior to joining WSJ, Brian worked as a news artist for National Journal, the Tampa Tribune and the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader. He received his degree from the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri.Follow

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