England's World Cup camp hit by equipment theft days before Croatia opener

England’s World Cup preparations have been thrown into disarray after a significant theft of equipment during the squad’s move to Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri, days before their opening group-stage match against Croatia.

Official tournament match balls, analysis equipment, tactical whiteboards, massage tables and essential training gear were all reported missing after the shipment failed to arrive following the team’s relocation from West Palm Beach, Florida. Unconfirmed reports suggest boots belonging to Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and other squad members may also have been taken, with just one football said to have been left behind after the incident.

Mirror Sport reports that two arrests have been made and a police investigation is ongoing. The FA has been contacted for comment. Sky Sports separately reported that some of the missing equipment has since been recovered, though a full review remains underway to establish exactly what is still outstanding.

England staff are working against the clock to source replacements and ensure everything is in place before Thomas Tuchel’s squad returns to training. The Three Lions are scheduled to remain at Swope Soccer Village for the next three weeks as they target progression from the group stage.

The disruption is an unwelcome development for a camp that had otherwise been building momentum. Tuchel’s side beat Costa Rica 3-0 before defeating Miami FC 6-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly, and the England head coach had spoken positively about the squad’s physical and mental readiness heading into the tournament.

“We can manage the game time,” Tuchel said after the Miami FC fixture. “It will very likely be not more than two x 30 minutes or something like this. Then the players get one and a half days off, not only physically but also mentally.”

Authorities are continuing their enquiries, and the FA is said to be working alongside local law enforcement in an effort to recover the remaining missing items before England’s World Cup campaign begins.