Sporting Kansas City will host England's national team for a training match on Thursday. The match is part of England's preparation for their upcoming game against Ghana.

What happened?

England's manager, Thomas Tuchel, wants to give his unused players a chance to train and play against Sporting Kansas City. The England squad flew back to their Kansas City base after their 4-2 win against Croatia.

Why it matters for Sporting Kansas City

The match is an opportunity for Sporting Kansas City to test themselves against a top-tier team. The team is currently in the early stages of a total roster rebuild under sporting director David Lee.

What comes next?

Sporting Kansas City will resume their MLS season after the World Cup break. They are currently second-last in the MLS with 11 points from 14 games. Their next fixture is against St. Louis City on August 20, 2026. | Stat | Value | | --- | --- | | League standing | 15th in Major League Soccer, 4 pts, 1W-1D-6L from 8 games, recent form LLLLW | | Next fixture | vs St. Louis City (at home, 2026-08-20) | The team's squad features forward Dejan Joveljic, who plays for the Serbian national team. Sporting Kansas City has been back in training for the last six days. The match against England will be an informal friendly, with the exact format and duration to be determined. England played USL Championship side Miami FC in a similar match last week, winning 6-0 in a game played in two halves of 25 minutes each.