England are set to continue their preparations for the upcoming World Cup with a slightly unorthodox behind-closed-doors friendly on Thursday. The Three Lions continued their build-up to the tournament, which begins this week, by seeing off Costa Rica 3-0 in a friendly. But Thomas Tuchel is clearly still keen to add some extra preparation ahead of his team's opener with Croatia.
Who are England playing?
England will now take on Miami United, who play in the fourth tier of US football, at Palm Beach Gardens. The National Premier Soccer League side will drop in on England's Florida training base for another warm-up clash, although reports suggest it will be a slightly different affair than normal.
Will it be a normal game?
According to reports, the game won't be a full 90 minutes, and will instead focus on certain areas Tuchel believes his side still need to improve. Set-piece routines are expected to be a big part of the contest, which will still be 11v11.
Why are they playing such a small side?
Due to the heat, it's believed Tuchel sees set-pieces as a potentially important source of goals for his team. In the US, this sort of game is known as a 'scrimmage', and it will effectively be a glorified training session aimed at getting England used to the conditions.
Is the game on TV?
No. The game will be behind closed doors and won't be broadcast to the public.
Who are Miami United?
Self-proclaimed 'the oldest team in Miami', the fourth-tier side are an amateur team that were founded in 2012. They play at the Ted Hendricks Stadium, which has a capacity of just over 5,000. The former Brazilian striker Adriano was briefly on the books of the club, although he never actually played a game.
England's World Cup schedule
- Croatia - June 17
- Ghana - June 23
- Panama - June 27
