Tuchel shrugs off pitch worries, poor weather ahead of tune-up game against New Zealand
- England faces New Zealand today at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa for a World Cup warm-up. Manager Thomas Tuchel said pitch concerns will not impact his team selection.
- The squad arrived in Florida earlier this week to acclimatize to hot, humid World Cup conditions. Persistent rain limited sun exposure, but Tuchel said the team would 'make up for lost time' in coming weeks.
- Uncapped training group members Alex Scott and Rio Ngumoha joined the 27-man roster, filling gaps left by Arsenal players Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze after their Champions League final loss.
- Tuchel plans to field two complete teams for 45-minute stretches each to expose players to equal minutes. The manager aims to 'reconnect to our identity' and strengthen tactical connections across the pitch.
- England plays Costa Rica on Tuesday in a second friendly before relocating to their Kansas City base camp. The team prepares for their June 17 tournament opener against Croatia in the World Cup campaign.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Why 'worried' England are playing on a temporary pitch in World Cup warm-up
After being shown a picture of the playing surface that England will have to deal with for Saturday’s warm-up match against New Zealand, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel said he was a “little bit worried and concerned”. England have been taking part in a training camp in West Palm Beach, Florida, and will now contest two friendlies as they continue their preparation for the tournament. Saturday’s friendly is the first of two warm-up games for the …
England's German coach does not shy away from uncomfortable decisions. This is shown by the nomination of his World Cup squad, in which Thomas Tuchel renounces some prominent names.
FIFA World Cup 2026—England manager Tuchel shrugs off pitch worries, poor weather ahead of tune-up game against New Zealand
England is using the match in Tampa, the first of two warm-up games before its Group L opener against Croatia on June 17 in Dallas, to help players acclimatise to the heat and humidity.
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Football: England coach Thomas Tuchel shrugs off pitch worries ahead of All Whites game
England's World Cup preparations have been hit by concerns over a potentially poor pitch for Sunday morning's friendly against New Zealand as well as unexpectedly wet weather in Florida.
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