Thomas Tuchel has revealed that Team GB and other specialists have been helping England prepare for the heat and humidity expected at the World Cup. The head coach acknowledged the challenges posed by the climate but expressed full belief in his squad's ability to go far in the tournament.
England's 26-player squad began a 10-day hot-weather acclimatisation camp in Miami on Monday. Some players, including Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze, were given extra time to recover after the Champions League final, while Dean Henderson is also expected to arrive later following the Conference League final.
The remaining 21 players, some of whom were on holiday in the Americas and Caribbean, will meet in West Palm Beach to prepare for a friendly against New Zealand in Tampa on Saturday. Tuchel noted that the heat would not favour England after a long club season, but stressed that they have cooling strategies in place.
“We are not used to being in this kind of heat and humidity, and even altitude if we play in Mexico,” Tuchel told Sky Sports. “There will be a lot of challenges in this World Cup. The heat is one of them but we are prepared already. We’ve had help from Team GB and specialists all over the world to come up with solutions that help the players to adapt.”
Scorching heat was a major concern at the 2025 Club World Cup, with medical experts and players' unions raising issues about heat stress and dehydration. Tuchel insisted England were not making excuses, but acknowledged the heat is an obstacle to overcome. “It is a factor but it should not come across that we are already making excuses,” he said.
Tuchel remains optimistic about England's prospects. “When I reconnected with the games and built our training sessions and meetings to reconnect the team in Florida with what we have built already, I saw a lot of quality,” he said. “That instantly gave me the full belief and excitement that we can go a long way.”
