How England’s Football Team Is Getting Ready for Hot Weather in the USA

England Starts in Florida (By Chance!)

When England’s football team first arrived in the United States, they stayed in Florida. That’s a bit of a coincidence because Florida is hot and sunny!

The team is led by their coach, Thomas Tuchel. Here’s what they did there:

• They spent 10 days in Florida.
• They played practice matches (called warm-up games) against other countries:
  • Against New Zealand in a city called Tampa.
  • Against Costa Rica in a city called Orlando.

Heading to Kansas for Even More Heat

After Florida, the team (also called the "Three Lions") moved to their main tournament place in Kansas.

In Kansas, the air is very warm every day:

• About 32–34°C (which is 90–93°F in the old style).

This hot weather is actually helpful! It lets England’s players get used to the heat so they can play better and stay safe.

Why Getting Used to Heat Is Super Important

A smart scientist named Dr Lee Taylor works at Loughborough University. He knows a lot about how top sports players perform when it’s hot or high up in the mountains. He talked to BBC Sport about why England’s plan is good.

Important Callout: Dr Taylor says that slowly getting used to hot weather is the "gold-standard method" — that means the very best way — to protect players’ health and help them play well.

Here’s what he explained in simple words:

• England had two hot places (Florida and Kansas) to train and play.
• This means the players have been in the heat a lot, so their bodies have likely changed to handle it. This is called being "acclimated" (say: uh-KLY-may-ted), which just means used to the heat.
• They haven’t played a real big game in that heat yet, but Dr Taylor is not worried. He says the players have made the needed body changes (called physiological adaptations — basically their bodies learned to cope).

Norway’s Different Warm-Up Story

Another team, Norway, did their warm-up matches in cooler places:

• They played two practice games:
  1. Against Sweden in Oslo (which is cool).
  2. Against Morocco in New Jersey (also cooler than Kansas).
• Now Norway is based in Greensboro, North Carolina, where the temperature is like England’s hot base.

But Dr Taylor points out something interesting:

• He says Norway has actually played four pretty warm games (even though only two were the mentioned warm-up matches, they must have had other warm games too).
• The game in New Jersey was especially hot.
• Because Norway’s players have been in the heat a lot all at once, they might be more tired.

Important: Dr Taylor says he would rather have the way England did it — slowly getting used to heat over time — because Norway’s players seem more worn out from their heat experiences.

Quick Steps of England’s Heat Plan

If we break it down, here’s what England did to get ready:

1. Landed in the US and stayed in Florida (hot) for 10 days.
2. Played two warm-up games in Florida cities (Tampa & Orlando).
3. Moved to Kansas (also hot) for the tournament.
4. Now their bodies are used to the heat thanks to these two hot stops.

Summary

England’s football team, coached by Thomas Tuchel, first stayed in Florida (by coincidence) and played warm-up games against New Zealand and Costa Rica. Then they went to Kansas where it’s about 32–34°C. Expert Dr Lee Taylor says this slow time in hot places is the best way to keep players healthy and playing well. Norway played some games in cooler spots but also ended up in hot North Carolina and played several warm games, making their players more tired. England’s step-by-step heat exposure is seen as the smarter path.

FAQ

Q1: What does "acclimated" mean in this story?
A1: It means the players’ bodies have gotten used to the hot weather, like how you get used to a warm bath after a while.

Q2: Why did England go to Florida and Kansas before the tournament?
A2: Both places are hot! Being there helps the players slowly adjust to the heat so they don’t get sick or play badly when it’s warm.

Q3: How is Norway’s experience different from England’s?
A3: Norway played two warm-up games in cooler cities (Oslo and New Jersey) but later played more warm games and is now in North Carolina (hot). An expert thinks Norway’s players got tired from too much heat at once, while England eased into it.

Q4: Who is Dr Lee Taylor and why should we listen to him?
A4: He is a heat and altitude expert from Loughborough University who knows how top athletes’ bodies work in tough weather. He told BBC Sport that England’s plan is the best to protect players.

Q5: What are the "Three Lions"?
A5: That’s just a nickname for England’s football team, like a fun name for the group of players.