IRVINE, Calif. — As U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino surveyed Championship Soccer Stadium at the Great Park Sports Complex, he praised the setup his group is using during the World Cup. More than 5,500 people attended the team’s lone open training session, an event the team noted is mandated by FIFA for every participating side. “It’s amazing,” Pochettino told reporters, thanking the organization for the facilities.
The U.S. players and staff face an extended tournament schedule that could keep them together for more than 60 days, with roughly half that time expected to be spent in Southern California. Defender Tim Ream said the base allows players to focus by removing off-field concerns. “Everything’s been taken care of for us. We’re very, very much spoiled in that way as players,” Ream told reporters.
The team’s base consists of two primary elements: a coastal hotel intended as a sanctuary and the Great Park practice complex. The hotel emphasizes recovery, offering spaces for massage and deep-tissue work, plus outdoor areas to help players relax. “The flow is great for the players, a lot of outdoor space for us to just be relaxed and calm,” U.S. manager of operations Sam Zapatka said, noting amenities such as a coffee service and workspaces with natural light that help staff and players decompress.
The practice site is devoted to preparation. “That’s where the boys compete. That’s where they work,” Zapatka said. The facility includes four locker rooms serving players, coaches and staff, one of which functions as a meeting space, and an outdoor medical treatment room constructed by Orange County. The site includes 24 fields, and a team photo emblazoned with the phrase “The Best of U.S.” greets those entering the field area, underscoring an emphasis on unity.
The operation is organized to minimize distractions. “Flow is really important from a player mindset of they want to think the [least],” Zapatka said, describing a layout that moves players from locker room to field to gym. The team also practices grounding — walking barefoot on grass — a routine adopted after observations in Qatar that Zapatka said has brought a sense of calm to the group.
