Great Park Soccer Stadium Selected for U.S. Men’s Team World Cup Training Base Camp

by ICNV Staff

The City of Irvine has announced that the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team has selected the Great Park as its official Team Base Camp training site during this summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup.

As a designated Team Base Camp training site, the U.S. Men’s National Team will train at the Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium, a premier soccer facility that accommodates more than 5,000 spectators. Officials said the decision highlights Irvine’s world-class athletic facilities and the City’s continued investment in spaces that support elite-level competition while remaining accessible to the community.

“We are honored that the U.S. Men’s National Team has chosen to train at the Great Park during the FIFA World Cup,” said Mayor Larry Agran. “This decision reflects the caliber of the Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium and the professionalism of the staff who operate it. Irvine is proud to welcome the players, coaches, and supporters from around the world to our great City for one of the world’s most celebrated sporting events.”

“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.”

“From its transformation as Marine Corps Air Station El Toro into one of the nation’s premier municipal parks, the Great Park has become a destination for athletes and families alike,” Irvine Councilmember and Great Park Board Chair William Go said. “Hosting the U.S. Men’s National Team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup is a once-in-a-generation moment for the park and a proud milestone for our entire community.”

Co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the 2026 tournament will be the largest in World Cup history, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches.

As an added bonus, the Soccer Forward Foundation, U.S. Soccer’s legacy and social impact initiative, is partnering with the City of Irvine and local organizations to deliver community-based coaching development programming in the lead-up to the tournament. The initiative will equip local coaches with training, tools, and resources designed to help them better support and inspire young Irvine athletes, ensuring the impact of the FIFA World Cup extends beyond the field and strengthens the local soccer ecosystem.

Although training sessions during the tournament will not be open to the public, the City is planning on a welcome event in April and a potential community day in the coming weeks.