U.S. Soccer has announced that the United States men’s national team will use Great Park in Irvine, California, as its official training base camp for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The decision designates Great Park as the central location where the team will train and prepare during its home World Cup. The 2026 tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking the first time three nations have jointly staged a World Cup. With the U.S. serving as the primary host and staging the majority of matches, the choice of a domestic training base was a key logistical step in the team’s planning.
By selecting Irvine, U.S. Soccer establishes its camp in Southern California, a region known for its strong soccer culture, year-round training conditions, and extensive infrastructure. Great Park features multiple full-size fields and modern facilities that can support the needs of a World Cup squad throughout the tournament period, from daily training sessions to recovery and team meetings.
A designated World Cup base camp typically serves as the heartbeat of a national team’s tournament operations. Players and staff use the site as their consistent home between matches, allowing them to follow a regular routine even as they travel to different host cities for games. The base camp also serves as a controlled environment for tactical work, physical preparation, and off-field support, including medical, nutritional, and performance services.
The announcement comes as part of broader preparations for 2026, with national teams around the world beginning to map out their logistical and competitive plans for the expanded 48-team tournament. For the United States, securing a training base on home soil offers continuity and familiarity, with the goal of creating stable surroundings as the team navigates the heightened demands and expectations of a World Cup played in front of its own fans.
Further details on the team’s full World Cup logistics, including accommodation arrangements and travel plans to and from match venues, were not disclosed in the announcement. However, confirming Great Park in Irvine as the official training base marks an important milestone in the United States’ staging and participation plans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
