Thomas Tuchel went to a baseball game and threw a strike. The England manager — German, for context — put the ceremonial first pitch over the plate ahead of the Kansas City Royals' 14-6 demolition of the St. Louis Cardinals at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday. Harry Kane and several England players were in attendance too.
It's a fun image. But there's a real reason England are treating Kansas City like a second home: they're based there for the entirety of the 2026 World Cup campaign, and after a 4-2 win over Croatia on Wednesday, there's a genuine chance they're still there come July 19 — the date of the final.
The stakes are real this time
England have been to 11 World Cups since 1966 without lifting the trophy. The semifinal exits, the penalty shootout nightmares, the crushing losses to Croatia in 2018 and France in 2022 — the list is long and familiar to anyone who has watched this team for more than a decade.
Kane put it plainly this week: "For sure it's one of the best opportunities we will have as a team to win it." That's not hype. England have depth, they have experience, and they have a tournament structure that rewards consistency over brilliance. A squad that can beat Croatia 4-2 in a World Cup opener is a squad worth taking seriously in the outright market.
Next up is Ghana in Group L at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, June 23. Win that, and the knockout stage conversation gets louder fast.
The Royals' Twitter bio, for the record, clarifies they are "the baseball team, not the British family." Kansas City is clearly ready for the attention. Whether England are ready to finally end 60 years of hurt is the only question that matters.
