HRH Prince William visits St. George's Park

HRH Prince William has met the England ‘team behind the team’ as the final touches are put to FIFA World Cup 2026 preparations.

After last Friday’s confirmation of the 26-player squad live on the official England app, Thomas Tuchel’s squad and staff will all come together to get the ball rolling in Florida next Monday.

It will be the culmination of months of planning, and the start of a tournament journey that includes two warm-up fixtures against New Zealand and Costa Rica in Tampa and Orlando on 6 and 10 June respectively, before Thomas Tuchel’s team play their opening World Cup match against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June.

Prince William was given an insight into the tournament plans when he visited the national football centre at St. George’s Park. The Prince, who is Patron of the FA, spent time with a wide range of colleagues working behind the scenes – from coaches and analysts shaping tactics and performance, to medical, nutrition and sports science teams responsible for player welfare and recovery.

HRH Prince William said: “I just wanted to take the opportunity to see the team behind the team today, and to say thank you and good luck to all of you guys who don’t get as much acknowledgement or credit as you deserve.

“It’s a big team that gets on that plane, it’s a big team that looks after them. Not everyone gets to see the hard work you put in, and the success of the players comes from the foundations you built, so thank you.”

England head coach, Thomas Tuchel, praised the work of his technical team, and highlighted the evolution of this set-up over the years.

Thomas Tuchel said: “It gets bigger and bigger, the team behind the team. So many specialists, from nutritionists to analysts and the set-pieces.

Prince William also met those managing the complex logistics of international football, including travel, security, operations, media and player support, as well as the kit and facilities staff. During the visit, he was also presented with a shirt bearing the number 20 to mark the 20th anniversary this month of becoming FA President.

He said: “It’s not going to be an easy tournament as you well know. It’s going to be one of the hardest World Cups there’s probably been in the modern era, but I have no doubt you’ll rise to the occasion and deliver on all the things that you do so brilliantly."