England haven't kicked a ball at the 2026 World Cup yet, and somehow they've already dealt with a shooting near their training base, a 6.1-magnitude earthquake, stolen boots, a chef denied entry onto a train for carrying kitchen knives, and a tornado warning that locked the squad inside their hotel. The tournament hasn't started. This is just the warm-up.
The chaos started in Florida. Sweltering 32°C heat made the early training sessions more about survival than preparation, but that was the least of their problems. A shooting near their Kansas City base — where nine people were injured and at least three hospitalised — came before the squad had even landed in the region. The Swope Soccer Village, where England are set to train, sits less than four miles from where it happened.
A van burgled, a chef turned away, a tornado at 8pm
Then the earthquake. A 6.1-magnitude tremor — the strongest to hit the region in 150 years — struck off Cuba's western coast and sent shockwaves through parts of Florida. It didn't cause injuries to the camp, but it didn't exactly settle nerves either.
The logistical mess that followed was almost farcical. A team van was broken into en route to Kansas City, with players' boots and training kit stolen in transit. Some items were recovered. Reports suggest the drivers responsible for the delivery may have been involved. England's backroom staff had to scramble to replace gear before sessions could resume properly.
The team's chef — presumably an important figure when you're trying to maintain nutrition and squad morale across a long tournament — was blocked from boarding a train because he was carrying kitchen knives. Florida law permits concealed firearms. Rail operators draw the line at a chef's kit bag.
Saturday evening brought a tornado warning. Just after 8pm local time, the entire England delegation received automated alerts from the US National Weather Service warning of a Severe Thunderstorm Warning with winds potentially reaching 80mph. Evening plans were scrapped. Everyone stayed inside, away from windows, in what had been — earlier that same day — a cheerful community training session in front of local fans.
Does any of this actually matter on the pitch?
England did beat Costa Rica 3-0 in their final warm-up, even after that game was delayed by an hour due to lightning storms in Orlando. Tuchel's side looked composed enough when they actually played football. The talent in that squad hasn't suddenly deteriorated because someone nicked a bag of boots.
But preparation matters. Disrupted sleep, disrupted logistics, disrupted routines — none of it helps a team trying to build cohesion before a tournament opener. England face Croatia first, a side they know well and have beaten at major tournaments before, but any mental fatigue carries a cost.
England are still among the shorter-priced favourites to win this tournament outright. That assessment was built on the squad's quality, not the smoothness of the camp. Right now, the camp has been anything but smooth. The question is whether Tuchel can compartmentalise all of it and have his side ready when the referee blows for kick-off against Croatia — because the circus outside the hotel has been relentless.
