Two Detained in Theft of England National Team Equipment Ahead of World Cup
Two people have been detained in connection with the theft of equipment belonging to the England national football team. The theft occurred while the team's equipment was being transported from a pre-training base in Florida to Kansas City, Missouri, where England is based for the 2026 World Cup.
The English Football Association confirmed the theft to the Associated Press on Saturday, but declined to provide further details due to the ongoing police investigation. The incident is believed to have taken place on Friday night.
Sgt. Phil DiMartino of the Kansas City Police Department confirmed that two individuals have been taken into custody.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas stated that local, state, and federal authorities are working to trace where in the United States the items were taken and to identify all individuals involved.
Kansas City Base Camp
England chose Kansas City as its base camp due to its central location. The team's opening match against Croatia is in the Dallas area, with subsequent group matches in Boston and New Jersey. Potential knockout games could be on the West Coast.
The team is training at Swope Soccer Village and staying at a boutique hotel in Prairie Village, Kansas.
England was scheduled to hold its first open training session on Saturday, though storms could affect the schedule.