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The host sites for the 2026 FIFA World Cup include some of the most well-known and luxurious cities across North America.
Games are set to be played in New York City, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Miami, and everywhere in between. And yet despite that fact, many of the top national teams on the planet have decided to have base camps not in five-star hotels, but at high schools across the United States.
However, there’s a catch. These aren’t just your run-of-the-mill public schools. Instead, the national teams for second-ranked Spain, eighth-ranked Morocco, 11th-ranked Croatia, and 19th-ranked Switzerland will all stay at some of the nicest high school campuses you will ever see.
Elite National Teams To Stay At Top High Schools For 2026 FIFA World Cup
The idea of the Royal Spanish Football Federation choosing to put the reigning UEFA Euro champions up at a high school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, may seem far-fetched on its face.
But that quickly goes away when you find out more about the Baylor School, which is one of the top preparatory schools in the country.
In fact, it’s even home to Marshall Manning, the son of legendary NFL quarterback Peyton Manning.
Not only does the school’s campus provide elite facilities, but it also offers privacy. The Baylor School is tucked away in the mountains and even has a separate entrance to the athletic facilities part of its campus.
“A lot of countries came in and looked, and there was a lot of interest,” head of school Chris Angel told Front Office Sports. “But when Spain wanted to be here, that narrowed it down quickly.”
These Host Schools Have A Deep History With Soccer
Meanwhile, Morocco has taken up residence at The Pingry School in northern New Jersey. The over 150-year-old school played host to Italy during the 1994 World Cup, in which the Italians reached the final before falling to Brazil.
Additionally, it has played host to several elite national and club teams in the past, generating six figures in revenue over the summers. The school’s facilities include two full-size training fields, expanded stands, and a retaining wall to keep training private.
On the other side of the country, Switzerland is staying at the San Diego Jewish Academy. The preschool-12th-grade program has just 500 students, but incredible amenities.
The school recently spent $200,000 in order to extend the grass on its training field ahead of the World Cup. That investment is significant given the recent criticism of World Cup playing surfaces.
Lastly, Croatia is staying at the Episcopal School in Alexandria, Virginia, which is just outside of Washington, D.C.
The boarding school is nearly 200 years old and has a massive 130-acre campus. It recently installed a second Bermuda grass field and hosted the U.S. women’s national team ahead of the Paris Olympics. It also hosted Emirati club Al Ain for the Club World Cup last summer.
Is it weird, on the surface, that teams are staying at high schools while trying to win the World Cup? Of course. But these clearly aren’t your average high schools.