Thomas Tuchel spent time in the United States last summer during the Club World Cup
England manager Thomas Tuchel has indicated that he may have substitutes remain in the dressing room during matches at the World Cup next summer, citing concerns over the risks posed by high temperatures.
Speaking ahead of the World Cup draw in Washington DC, Tuchel told BBC sports editor Dan Roan: “If this is what helps us later in matches when they come on, we have to consider it a possibility.”
“Nobody likes it because I want the players to be out there to feel the energy and give us energy from the bench on to the field.”
“But I saw players doing this at the Club World Cup. Hopefully we can avoid it. It’s always better when they can be with us outside.”
As the tournament is set to take place across the US, Canada, and Mexico in June and July 2026, experts have warned that high temperatures, wildfires, and hurricanes could impact teams, supporters, and stadium staff alike.
The recent Pitches in Peril report – a collaborative effort by pressure groups Football for the Future and Common Goal – revealed that 10 of the 16 venues for the World Cup are at “very high risk of experiencing extreme heat stress conditions.”
The scheduling of the Club World Cup in June and July prompted complaints from players and managers due to the extreme heat during matches.
“It’s an issue for high-level football – it will reduce the intensity of the matches,” Tuchel noted regarding the anticipated impact of the heat.
“It will reduce the amount of intensive runs, offensively and defensively. The match and the plan will naturally adapt. You cannot play the same football in 45C than in 21C.
“We need to adapt and prepare the players as good as possible. We need to adapt to the heat, to cooling systems, and we’re on it. We’ve put a lot of effort into it, and we will be ready when the tournament starts.”
Addressing concerns about scheduling challenges and extensive travel distances between venues, Tuchel stated: “We have to be prepared to accept difficulties. It will be hot, it will be humid, it will be a lot of travelling, it will be a lot of delays – there can be delays with the thunderstorms.
“So I think it’s more about the mindset than having a solution to everything before it happens.”
Amidst speculation regarding England’s World Cup squad selection – with Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham notably absent from recent squads – Tuchel affirmed that he has a clear vision of the team he intends to bring across the Atlantic.
“I’m not sure if I know the starting XI but I know players I’m certain I want to have with us in the US. I know also there’s some players who are very likely to start but let’s take it step by step,” he said.
“It’s my job to get to know the players, have a picture, an opinion, and then pick them and stick with them because they did so well to earn my trust. I have a clear idea.”
Tuchel acknowledged his growing confidence in England’s chances of winning the tournament for the first time since 1966.
“We’ve got closer, we’ve got better. For my belief, I needed the camps in September, October, November, and the way the camps, the results and the group went together,” he said.
“Since then, our belief – mine and the group together – grew, and we will arrive to make a special thing happen. We cannot guarantee it but we will arrive with the biggest goal.”