England squad departs Birmingham for USA as World Cup 2026 campaign begins

England’s 26-man World Cup squad departed Birmingham Airport on Tuesday morning, boarding a chartered flight to Florida as Thomas Tuchel’s side began their bid to win the country’s first World Cup since 1966.

Tuchel abandoned the customary team photocall on the steps of the plane, opting instead for a low-key send-off in which players boarded one by one, dressed in official £200 Three Lions tracksuits. Captain Harry Kane, the Bayern Munich striker, crossed the tarmac with a rucksack before the jet took off at 11.20am, with an expected arrival at Palm Beach International Airport at 7.26pm UK time.

Twenty of the 26-man squad made the eight-and-a-half hour flight together. Among those boarding were Manchester City’s John Stones, Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento, and Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson. Tuchel had advised select players to travel to the United States ahead of the main group to acclimatise, with Marcus Rashford — on loan at Barcelona from Manchester United this season — already in Miami. The 28-year-old has been using the facilities at David Beckham’s Inter Miami, posting training photos on Instagram with the caption: “PREPARED!”

The squad will spend 12 days in Florida before relocating to their tournament base camp in Kansas City, where they will be housed at the 54-room Inn at Meadowbrook Hotel. Tuchel has outlined plans to build team cohesion during the preparation period, including watching World Cup group-stage matches together on a large screen and organising social activities for the squad.

England face pre-tournament friendlies against New Zealand and Costa Rica before their group games begin, with crowds of between 12,000 and 15,000 expected at each fixture. Tuchel, who will be managing across three countries and four time zones, said ahead of departure: “I can’t wait to get on the plane, look over my shoulder, finally have a team behind me and arrive in Florida and do what I love.”

Kane, who lifted the Champions League with Bayern Munich last season, is aiming to become the first Englishman to lift the World Cup trophy since Bobby Moore in 1966.