The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday, June 11, and our stars that are heading to Mexico, Canada and the USA are starting their preparations after the curtain came down on our 2025/26 campaign.
All 48 nations heading to the newly expanded World Cup will be playing a series of warm-up international friendlies in the coming days.
Following the Champions League final and Champions Parade, 16 of our first team are heading to North America, where they could be featuring in a host of pre-tournament friendlies.
EUROPEAN FAREWELLS
Some nations are choosing to remain in Europe for as long as possible before hoping across the pond for the 23rd World Cup.
Leandro Trossard‘s Belgium will be facing two matches in Europe, heading to Croatia tonight before hosting Tunisia in the King Baudouin Stadium. Leo has 11 international goals to his name, including one in a 4-2 win over Wales in World Cup qualifying.
Viktor Gyokeres‘ Sweden are also finishing up their preparations on home soil. Vik’s nation returns to the Friends Arena in Stockholm, where the forward netted a dramatic winner over Poland to fire his nation to the World Cup, and will take on Greece on Thursday, June 4, before jetting off.
Elsewhere, Spain are saying their goodbyes in La Coruna, where they will face Iraq before heading to Mexico, one of the host nations, to take on Peru in Puebla.
Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino and David Raya have all been named in Luis de la Fuente’s World Cup squad.
Jurrien Timber‘s Netherlands hosts Algeria at De Kuip in Rotterdam before heading to the Big Apple, where they’ll play their final warm-up match against Uzbekistan at Icahn Stadium.
Lastly, William Saliba’s France are preparing for another tilt at World Cup glory with two matches in their country. Les Bleus will face the Ivory Coast in Nantes before entertaining Northern Ireland in Lille.
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STATESIDE BOUND
Other nations are choosing to head to the World Cup hosts in order to acclimatise to the North American conditions.
England are one of those countries doing just that. Ethan Nwaneri has been selected to train with Thomas Tuchel’s group in Florida ahead of our quartet of lions in Eberechi Eze, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke join the rest of the squad.
The 1966 World Cup winners face New Zealand in Tampa before taking on Costa Rica in Orlando, one day before the main action kicks off in Mexico City, where Mexico host South Africa.
Kai Havertz‘s Germany are also across the Atlantic already. The Germans are taking on one of the host nations, the USA, in Chicago on June 6.
A day later, Norway will take on Morocco at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey, where Martin Odegaard and his compatriots are gearing up for a first major tournament in 26 years.
On the same night, Piero Hincapie‘s Ecuador will be at the ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus, Ohio, taking on Guatemala in their final warm-up fixture.
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LIST OF WORLD CUP WARM-UPS
Kick-off time BST
Tuesday, June 2
Croatia v Belgium – Trossard
Stadion HNK Rijeka, Croatia, 5pm
Wednesday, June 3
Netherlands v Algeria – Timber
De Kuip, Rotterdam, 7.45pm
Thursday, June 4
Sweden v Greece – Gyokeres
Friends Arena, Stockholm, 6pm
Spain v Iraq – Merino, Raya, Zubimendi
Riazor, La Coruna, 8pm
France v Ivory Coast – Saliba
Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, 8.10pm
Saturday, June 6
Belgium v Tunisia – Trossard
King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, 2pm
USA v Germany – Havertz
Soldier Field, Chicago, 7.30pm
England v New Zealand – Eze, Madueke, Rice, Saka
Raymond James Stadium, Florida, 9pm
Brazil v Egypt – Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli
Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, 11pm
Sunday, June 7
Morocco v Norway – Odegaard
Red Bull Arena, New Jersey, 8pm
Ecuador v Guatemala – Hincapie
ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, Columbus,9pm
Monday, June 8
Netherlands v Uzbekistan – Timber
Icahn Stadium, New York, 7.45pm
France v Northern Ireland – Saliba
Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille 8.10pm
Tuesday, June 9
Peru v Spain – Merino, Raya, Zubimendi
Estadio Cuauhtémoc, Puebla, Mexico, 3am
Wednesday, June 10
England v Costa Rica – Eze, Madueke, Saka, Rice
Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, 9pm
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