Summary of Key Points
During this World Cup, 39 American teams chose to stay in small towns and even rural areas rather than big cities like New York and Los Angeles. The reason is not just the pursuit of privacy; more importantly, these locations boast a wealth of world-class sports facilities readily available—ranging from private high schools and university campuses to professional club training venues and resort complexes. These facilities serve various athletic needs across the United States on a regular basis, forming a nationwide network. The World Cup is merely a temporary user of these resources, and once the tournament is over, they return to their normal operations, driven by the mature demand and commercial logic of the American sports infrastructure market.
1. Teams Don't Stay in Big Cities; It's Really Because the Facilities in the Villages Are Too Good
While it might seem that teams are avoiding fans by moving to rural areas, the primary factor is the quality of the facilities themselves. The level of sports infrastructure in small towns and villages in the U.S. far exceeds expectations. For example, the Spanish team used the facilities of Baylor School, a private high school in Chattanooga with a population of less than 200,000; the French team stayed at Bentley University located 20 miles west of Boston; the German team resided at Greely Manor in North Carolina, just a 10-minute ride from the Wake Forest University stadium; and the Dutch team even set up camp in a small town by the Missouri River with a population of only 4,700. These venues were not built specifically for the World Cup but have been in use for a long time—Baylor School hosted a New Zealand team during the Club World Cup in 2025, and the Greenbrier Center was previously used as a training camp for NFL teams. For the teams, these locations offer high-quality facilities, quietness, and convenient transportation to the host cities, making them much more attractive than staying in big cities.
2. How Good Are the Facilities in the Villages? Comparable to Professional Teams' Home Venues
The facilities in these rural areas are no less impressive than those in big cities:
- The Argentine team used the Kansas City Sports Association training facility, which cost $75 million to build in 2018 and includes 5 fields, a gym, sports laboratories, a spa, and media studios.
- The Brazilian team's training base has grass similar to that of the World Cup final venue, covers 80 acres, and cost over $100 million; it is equipped with a restaurant, medical facilities, and an innovation laboratory.
- England's Swop Football Village has 9 fields (both natural and artificial turf) and 650 square meters of indoor space, along with fully equipped dressing rooms and storage areas.
- The Iraqi team's facility is flexible: it can be converted from a soccer field to an橄榄 field by drawing different lines on the grass.
3. Why Are There Such Good Facilities in the Villages?
The reason for the abundance of world-class facilities in rural areas is simple: demand drives supply:
1. High Demand: Professional teams need training venues, university teams require practice spaces, and amateur leagues are active year-round. Various sports (football, baseball, hockey, etc.) all use the same infrastructure network.
2. Stable Commercial Returns: Renting out facilities, booking hotels, and generating revenue from food and drinks are significant sources of income. For instance, 105 youth events in West Michigan in 2025 attracted 300,000 visitors, generating $83.5 million; the total economic impact of sports tourism nationwide in 2025 was $274.5 billion.
3. Investment Interest: In the first 5 months of 2026, private equity invested $2.11 billion in the amateur sports sector, nearly four times the amount invested in 2025 as a whole. Developers are also strategic—for example, a project in Florida includes 17 fields, two hotels, and dining and retail facilities, targeting the "2 hours of sport, 22 hours of consumption" model.
4. Universities Are Hidden "Facility Providers"
Universities play a crucial role in this infrastructure network. The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) requires that soccer fields built after 1995 be at least 64 meters wide and 105 meters long, which meets FIFA standards. As a result, more than 10 teams chose to use university campuses for the World Cup—Germany used Wake Forest University's stadium, France used Bentley University's ice rink, and Algeria used Kansas University's facilities. These venues are regularly used by university sports teams and can be utilized for the World Cup without any additional modifications, saving both time and money.
5. Will the Facilities Be Idle After the World Cup?
The World Cup is just a temporary event. Once the teams leave, the facilities return to their normal use: professional teams continue training, amateur leagues resume, and sports tourism continues. For example, the Greenbrier Center has previously hosted NFL teams, Swop Football Village serves local youth events, and Bentley University's facilities remain available for student use.
In summary, the ability of rural areas in the U.S. to host the World Cup is due to years of investment in infrastructure driven by demand and a sustainable commercial model. The World Cup simply gives these facilities worldwide recognition.