The United States will use Great Park in Irvine, California, as its official training base camp for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, U.S. Soccer announced on Tuesday.
The USMNT will arrive in Irvine following its friendly against Germany on June 6. The location provides an ideal jumping off point for matches at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood California, against Paraguay on June 11 and on June 25 against an opponent that is still to be determined.
The USMNT’s other group stage match will take place in Seattle on June 19 against Australia.
“We are delighted to have Great Park as our training site for the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker said. “The facilities are simply outstanding and will provide the perfect training environment for our team to prepare to be successful at the World Cup.”
Constructed in 2017 on the former site of the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium accommodates more than 5,000 spectators, with the remainder of the park spanning over 1,300 acres, 500 of which has been completed.
A U.S. Soccer spokesperson added that the setup at Great Park is similar to what the USMNT experienced in Qatar in 2022, in that the team will benefit from the stadium environment, although certain enhancements will be made in terms of gym equipment on the site. The spokesperson added that spaces for medical, rehabilitation and regeneration would take place predominantly at the team hotel.
The park includes sports fields, picnic areas, playgrounds, walking and biking trails, a historic aircraft exhibition, a carousel, and its iconic tethered helium balloon. Training sessions during the tournament will not be open to the public.
“We are honored that the U.S. Men’s National Team has chosen to train at the Great Park during the FIFA World Cup,” said Mayor Larry Agran. “This decision reflects the caliber of the Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium and the professionalism of the staff who operate it. Irvine is proud to welcome the players, coaches, and supporters from around the world to our great city for one of the world’s most celebrated sporting events.”
U.S. Soccer also announced that as part of holding the team’s training base camp in Irvine, the Soccer Forward Foundation, U.S. Soccer’s legacy and social impact initiative driven by the World Cup, will partner with the City of Irvine and local organizations to deliver a community-based coaching development programming in the lead-up to the World Cup during the month of April.
The initiative will equip local coaches with training, tools, and resources designed to help them better support and inspire young people in their communities, ensuring the impact of the World Cup extends beyond the field and strengthens the local soccer ecosystem.
“Moments like this create an incredible opportunity to connect the world’s biggest sporting event with the communities that make the game special,” said Lex Chalat, executive director of the Soccer Forward Foundation. “Through Soccer Forward, we are proud to partner with the City of Irvine and local organizations to equip coaches with the tools, training, and support they need to positively impact young people. By investing in the leaders who bring the game to life in their communities, we can ensure the momentum of the World Cup creates lasting opportunities for the next generation.”
The U.S. is also preparing for a pair of friendlies at the end of March in its last international window before the World Cup squad is named. The Americans play Belgium on March 28 and Portugal three days later.
