Wants to achieve something special with England
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England coach Thomas Tuchel may prefer to have his substitutes wait in the dressing room during games at the 2026 World Cup so that they are not exposed to the high temperatures. “If that helps us later in the games when they come on as substitutes, we have to consider that possibility,” the 52-year-old told the BBC before the World Cup group draw.
The Three Lions will be in Pot 1 together with the hosts USA, Canada and Mexico and the top seeds Spain, Argentina, France, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany when the draw takes place this Friday at 6 p.m. at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC. England became world champions in 1966 and lost to France in the quarter-finals in 2022, having finished fourth four years earlier.
Tuchel continued: “Nobody likes that because I want the players to be out there to feel the energy and give us energy on the pitch from the bench. But I saw players doing that in the Club World Cup. Hopefully we can avoid that. It’s always better if they can be out there with us.”
At the Club World Cup in the USA, players and coaches complained about the heat during the tournament. A similar problem is now expected for the World Cup finals. The “BBC” refers to a report by interest groups that ten out of 16 venues are said to be exposed to a “very high risk of extreme heat stress”.
Tuchel therefore said: “This is a problem for top-level football – it will reduce the intensity of the games. It will reduce the number of intensive runs on offense and defense. The game and the planning will of course adapt. You can’t play the same football at 45 degrees as you can at 21 degrees.”
England coach Tuchel on the hardships of traveling and the World Cup title
The coach also commented on scheduling challenges and long travel during the tournament: “We have to be ready to accept difficulties. It’s going to be hot, it’s going to be humid, there’s going to be a lot of travel, there’s going to be a lot of delays – there may be delays due to thunderstorms. So I think it’s more about attitude than about having a solution for everything before it happens.”
Tuchel is convinced that the English selection is ready for the World Cup title after a confident qualification. “We have gotten closer, we have gotten better,” said the former BVB and FC Bayern trainer. “We will arrive there to achieve something special. We can’t guarantee it, but we will arrive with the greatest purpose.” Tuchel first wants to evoke team spirit. “Then hopefully we get the right momentum and the right energy in the team so that nobody wants to play against us during the tournament.”