A mass shooting four miles from England's World Cup base in Kansas City is the backdrop Gareth Southgate's successor didn't need before a tournament. Nine adults were shot on Troost Avenue at around 4am on Saturday, with police arriving to find a crowd scattering in the chaos.
Kansas City Police Department captain Jake Becchina confirmed all nine were taken to local hospitals. All injuries are understood to be non-life threatening. No suspects are in custody. Patrols in the area continue.
England aren't there yet — but they will be
The squad is currently in Palm Beach, Florida, finishing their World Cup preparations. They beat New Zealand 1-0 in Tampa on Saturday, face Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday, then fly to Kansas City on June 13. Once there, they stay for the duration of the group stage.
Training will be held at Swope Soccer Village in the city's south-east — Sporting KC's reserve and academy base. England's team hotel sits in the same vicinity. The FA declined to comment when approached.
They won't be alone in Kansas City. Argentina and the Netherlands are also based there for the tournament, using Sporting KC's main facility and the Kansas City Current's ground respectively. Three major nations, one city — the security infrastructure around the tournament will be under significant scrutiny between now and kick-off.
The incident is a reminder that the logistical challenge of hosting a World Cup across multiple American cities goes well beyond stadium capacity and travel schedules. Kansas City police are still piecing together what happened on Troost Avenue. England arrive in eight days.
