The City of Irvine hosted the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) during its first practice at the Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium (Open in new window) Monday, June 8.
The Community Training Session included remarks from City officials and representatives from the U.S. Men’s National Team. It was the only opportunity for the public to watch the team practice at the Great Park during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Tickets to the event were required and awarded through a lottery system.
In March, the City and U.S. Soccer announced that the Men’s National Team selected the Great Park as its official Team Base Camp training site, drawn by the park’s top-notch facilities and proximity to SoFi Stadium.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. With 48 teams and 104 matches, this is the largest tournament in World Cup history. The opening match for the Men’s National Team will be against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium. The U.S. Men’s National Team advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Photos (Open in new window) and video (Open in new window) of the Great Park’s preparations to welcome the U.S. Men’s National Team are available, including a time-lapse of the Championship Soccer Stadium sod enhancement (Open in new window) and the iconic Great Park Balloon (Open in new window) featuring the USMNT crest.
View photos (Open in new window) from the Community Training Session.
