Thomas Tuchel has revealed that Team GB have been helping England prepare for the heat and humidity expected at the World Cup. The head coach said the national team has drawn on Olympic experiences and consulted specialists worldwide to develop cooling strategies for the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico.
England's 26-player squad began a 10-day acclimatisation camp in Miami on Monday, with most players flying from Birmingham. However, Arsenal quartet Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze were given extra recovery time after Saturday's Champions League final, while Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who played in the Conference League final, is also expected to arrive later.
The remaining 21 players, some of whom were on holiday in the Americas and Caribbean, will meet in West Palm Beach before a friendly against New Zealand in Tampa on Saturday. Tuchel acknowledged that the heat poses a challenge after a long club season, but emphasised that England are not making excuses.
“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. “The heat is one of them but we are prepared already. We know the individual reaction of the players to the heat and we have cooling strategies in place. 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 conditions were a major concern at the 2025 Club World Cup, with medical experts and players' unions warning about heat stress and slower recovery. Tuchel added: “It [the heat] is a factor but it should not come across that we are already making excuses. It’s just not in our favour and it is an obstacle to overcome.”
Despite the challenges, Tuchel expressed optimism 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. That instantly gave me the full belief and excitement that we can go a long way,” he said.
