England will kick off their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas at 9pm UK time on Wednesday 17 June. They will play at the Dallas Stadium, home of the NFL’s Cowboys, which has a retractable roof and air conditioning. That will mitigate the effects of a 4pm EST kick-off (3pm local time). The roof will be closed for the opener.
England learned the specifics of their group phase schedule at part two of the World Cup draw in Washington DC, on Saturday. Their second game, against Ghana, on 23 June, will be played in Foxborough, near Boston at 4pm EST. It is an open-air stadium. The average June daily temperate high there is 26C.
England’s final group game, against Panama on 27 June, has been set for NYNJ Stadium in New Jersey with a 5pm EST kick-off. It is another open-air stadium and the average June daily high is 27 C.
NYNJ Stadium is also the venue for the final, which will take place at 3pm EST, 8pm BST, on Sunday 19 July.
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Scotland have been given rather unfriendlier kick-off times for their fans back home. They open against Haiti in Foxborough on Saturday 13 June at 9pm EST, 2am UK time.
Their second and third group games against Morocco in Foxborough on 19 June and Brazil in Miami on 24 June have 6pm EST kick-offs. On the upside for Steve Clarke and his players, the later kick-offs will help them with the heat, especially in Miami.
England were placed in Group L at Friday’s main draw ceremony, which is the last to kick-off; the opening match of the tournament between Mexico, one of the co-hosts, and South Africa is on 11 June in Mexico City. As a consequence, Tuchel may rethink the date when he takes his squad over to the US for a pre-tournament camp in Fort Lauderdale.
The Champions League final will be played in Budapest on 30 May and, originally, Tuchel was considering whether to travel to the US before that – with any Champions League final players to follow afterwards. Now, he may delay the departure for everyone until after the showpiece club game.
The Football Association is set to narrow down its search for a tournament training base. Given the identity of the group match venues, with Boston and New Jersey on the east coast, it appears that the original preference for Kansas City may have to be shelved. Tuchel said after Friday’s draw: “We had some preferred options and I think they’re out of the window now but let’s see.”
Harry Kane has given his reaction to the draw. “There are some tough games,” the England captain told Cleats Club. “It just makes me excited. And as the season goes on, the excitement will grow and grow. We will try and win it. That’s always the aim for England – to try and be champions. We have to have the mindset that we can beat anyone and it’s no different at the World Cup.”
