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Türkiye’s national football team will hold its pre-World Cup training camp in Arizona, a desert state known for high temperatures, as the team prepares for a demanding travel schedule across North America during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The decision has stirred debate in Türkiye because of Arizona’s hot climate. However, the camp location was shaped by FIFA’s allocation process, particularly because Türkiye reached the tournament through the playoff stage rather than qualifying directly.
According to the information provided, FIFA determines where participating national teams will stay and train before the tournament. Countries that qualify directly have more room to pick their preferred base, while teams coming through the playoffs have fewer options left.
FIFA also asks each federation about its practical needs before assigning a camp, including hotel capacity, fitness and recovery areas, the number of beds required and the distance between the hotel and the training ground.
Teams may choose to stay outside the official FIFA-designated facilities, but in that case, FIFA does not cover their needs or expenses and does not accept responsibility if problems come up.
The scale of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will create a demanding travel schedule for many teams. Türkiye is expected to cover around 9,000 kilometers during its three group matches, with players facing flight times totaling about 10 hours.
Türkiye will play in Group D, opening against Australia in Vancouver on June 14. The team will then face Paraguay in San Francisco on June 20 before taking on the United States in Los Angeles on June 26.
Türkiye’s camp at the Arizona Athletics Grounds will begin on June 8. The facility’s three pitches will be used by the national team during its stay.
The camp has also drawn interest from the local Turkish community, with around 4,000 Turkish citizens living in the area. The facility will open its doors to the public only once, on June 8, between 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. local time.
The Arizona Athletics Grounds will be used as a World Cup training camp for the first time, and the event is expected to bring in around $3 million in economic activity for the region.
The main challenge for Türkiye in Mesa, Arizona, will be the heat. Temperatures from June 8 onward are expected to range between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius (95 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit).
Because of those conditions, the national team will hold its training sessions in the evening. The sessions will remain closed to the public.
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