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March 11, 2026 / 3:37 PM PDT / CBS LA
For the first time in more than three decades, the U.S. Men's National Team will compete on home soil in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the Great Park soccer stadium in Irvine will be the team's home training camp during the tournament.
"We are honored that the U.S. Men's National Team has chosen to train at the Great Park during the FIFA World Cup," Irvine Mayor Larry Agran said.
Although training sessions at the Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium during the tournament will not be open to the public, U.S. Soccer announced there will be a welcome event next month and a potential community day.
The U.S. team will play its first 2026 World Cup match on [June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium](https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/los-angeles-matchups-times-announced-for-fifa-world-cup-2026/), one of 104 matches taking place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Running from June 11 to July 19, the 2026 tournament is also the largest in World Cup history, with 48 teams.
We are delighted to have the Great Park as our training site for the 2026 FIFA World Cup," U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker said. "The facilities are simply outstanding and will provide the perfect training environment for our team to prepare to be successful at the World Cup."
During April, the Soccer Forward Foundation will partner with the City of Irvine to offer coaching clinics for training, tools, and resources to support and inspire young people, thereby strengthening the "local soccer ecosystem."
"Moments like this create an incredible opportunity to connect the world's biggest sporting event with the communities that make the game special," Lex Chalat, Executive Director of the Soccer Forward Foundation, said.
The U.S. Men's National Team, founded in 1913, has qualified for 11 FIFA World Cups. The U.S. team advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Its best recent performance was in 2002, when the U.S. Men's National Team reached the quarterfinals, including a 2-0 win over Mexico.