England are already in Florida for their pre-World Cup camp, with Ethan Nwaneri selected to train in Thomas Tuchel's group as the squad steps up its preparation in North America. The England friendlies that follow will send the team to Tampa for New Zealand and then to Orlando for Costa Rica.
The move matters because the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on Thursday, June 11, and England are using these days to settle into the conditions they will face in the tournament hosts' region. Eberechi Eze, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke are also joining the rest of the squad, giving Tuchel four players linked to the next phase of the buildup alongside Nwaneri.
That approach is not universal. Some nations are choosing to stay in Europe for as long as possible before travelling west, but England have gone early and taken their preparation with them. With Mexico, Canada and the USA set to stage the expanded 48-nation tournament, the bet is that time on the ground now will be worth more than extra days at home.
The two matches ahead are the real test of that decision. New Zealand in Tampa and Costa Rica in Orlando will give England a first chance to turn travel, heat and routine into a competitive edge, even if one open question remains: whether Nwaneri is asked to feature in either game or is being brought in first simply to learn the shape of Tuchel's camp. For England, the countdown to June 11 has already started in Florida.
