England manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed he may keep his substitutes inside the dressing room during matches at next summer’s World Cup due to the extreme heat expected across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Speaking ahead of the World Cup draw in Washington, DC, Tuchel told BBC Sport that he is open to unusual solutions if they help the team perform better late in games.
“𝑰𝒇 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕,” 𝑻𝒖𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒍 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅.
He acknowledged that he prefers his players to be out on the touchline, feeling the atmosphere and supporting the team, but said the rising temperatures pose a genuine threat to player safety and performance.
Tuchel added that he witnessed similar measures at the recent Club World Cup and hopes England can avoid doing the same, but admitted it may become necessary.
Extreme Heat, Travel Challenges, and Tactical Adjustments
With the 2026 World Cup scheduled in peak summer months, climate experts predict severe challenges for players, staff, and fans. A recent Pitches in Peril report highlighted that 10 of the 16 host venues face a “very high risk” of extreme heat stress.
Tuchel noted that last year’s Club World Cup matches took place in dangerous conditions and believes that the intensity of games in 2026 will naturally drop because of the heat.
“Football at 45°C simply cannot be played the same way as football at 21°C,” he said, stressing the need for detailed preparation, cooling strategies, and smart load management.
The England boss also highlighted the travel and logistical hurdles teams will face with long flights, potential thunderstorms, and scheduling delays.
“𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔,” 𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒅.
Tuchel Confident About England’s Squad and Chances
Despite ongoing speculation about who will make England’s final World Cup squad, Tuchel insists he already has a strong sense of which players he wants to take to North America.
He said he may not yet know his exact starting XI, but he has a clear idea of the squad profile and players he trusts.
Tuchel believes England has grown significantly since he took charge and feels more confident about their chances of winning their first World Cup since 1966.
He pointed to the recent international camps as key moments that strengthened belief within the group and said England will travel to the tournament aiming to “make something special happen.”
A Team No Opponent Wants to Face
England, placed in pot one for the draw, will avoid France, Spain, and Argentina until at least the semi-finals, assuming each tops their group. After winning all eight qualifiers while scoring 22 goals and conceding none, Tuchel hopes to build a squad that opponents will fear.
He said the goal is to enter June with a powerful, unified team and generate momentum that will make England a daunting opponent.
The Three Lions will play two friendlies right before the World Cup, though Tuchel said planning is tricky because many players may be involved in major club competitions late into the season.
The aim, he said, is to arrange highly competitive warm-up matches that will prepare the squad for the intensity of the World Cup.
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