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As the 2026 World Cup progresses, experts are analyzing how different teams are adapting to the heat and altitude in the United States. England's preparation in warm-weather bases is being compared to Norway's experience to determine potential performance advantages.
Why it matters
Understanding physiological adaptation to environmental conditions is critical for elite athlete performance and provides insight into the competitive dynamics of the tournament.
England's initial base when arriving in the United States was, coincidentally, Florida.
Thomas Tuchel and his team spent 10 days in the area, playing warm-up games against New Zealand in Tampa and Costa Rica in Orlando.
The Three Lions then moved to their tournament facility in Kansas, where daily air temperatures are about 32-34C (90-93F).
That should help England cope with the heat.
Dr Lee Taylor from Loughborough University - a leading expert in elite athlete performance and the challenges of heat and altitude - told BBC Sport acclimatisation was crucial.
"That is the gold-standard method to protect players' health and performance," said Taylor.
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