Teams from around the globe are already arriving in the United States for soccer’s June 11-to-July 19 FIFA World Cup.
Read on to learn more about various popular teams’ arrivals in the U.S. and North America.
Argentina’s national team gives Kansas City hotel tour
Defending champion Argentina’s national team — the Albiceleste, or white and sky blue, — posted video of the inside of the Kansas City hotel where it’s staying. The space is a tribute, including what appeared to be a dining area with white and sky-blue chairs, framed images of players, and an artist’s image of a “Campeones del Mundo” bus with the team’s players and coach in it. The video also shows doors to a few players’ rooms, including global superstar Lionel Messi’s.
The three-time World Cup winning nation sent the team in a plane with blue and white stripes on its tail fin and a large 10 — the number on Messi’s team shirt as well as of past legend Diego Maradona’s.
Brazil’s national soccer team arrives at Newark International Airport
Brazil, five-time world champion, arrived with players in gray suit jackets bearing the team crest at New Jersey’s Newark International Airport on Tuesday. Other video on social media appeared to show a police escort accompany two buses bearing the famed green, yellow and blue of the Seleção, as the national team is known, as it departed the airport.
English and Scottish soccer teams arrive in Florida
England’s team is in Florida. Known as the Three Lions, the team posted video of players in team gear and at a hotel. The nation credited with inventing the sport has sought since capturing its lone 1966 World Cup triumph to bring the trophy “back home.”
Scotland’s national team, the Tartan Army, got a bagpiped send-off in Europe and flew into Florida, where it is, for the first leg of its pre-tournament camp, using facilities of Major League Soccer’s pro team Inter Miami.
Other teams prep for World Cup
The Socceroos, Australia’s national team, has set up in northern California, a team video showed. On a wall in its training facility, a message: “Belief is team sport. No doubt.”
Germany’s team boarded a flight for the United States, according to social media posts.
France and Spain — Les Bleus and La Seleccion/La Furia Roja, respectively — are many sportswriters’ favorites to win the 2026 cup. They had not yet begun flights to the United States, where both will be based.
Portugal’s team had not yet left Europe either.
Norway’s team was reported to be on its way to the U.S. ESPN FC said Norway will go to Greensboro, North Carolina, for base camp and play — in New Jersey — a pre-tournament friendly against Morocco on Saturday.
South Africa’s team, known as the Bafana Bafana, has arrived in Mexico. ESPN FC reported, with video, that the team arrived at its training base to a mariachi band welcome.
The U.S. team has been training at the Arthur Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Georgia. The Americans defeated Senegal, 3-2, in a pre-tournament warm-up match — a friendly, in soccer parlance — over the weekend.
All told, 48 nations are expected to compete in a 104-match tournament. The cup final will be at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Teams from around globe start arriving in the U.S. for World Cup
Reporting by Michael P. McKinney, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
