England manager Thomas Tuchel says he may keep his substitutes inside the dressing room during matches at the 2026 World Cup to reduce the impact of extreme heat.
“If it helps the players later in the game, we have to consider it,” Tuchel told BBC Sport. “I don’t like the idea because I want the players to be outside, feeling the energy and bringing it onto the pitch. But I saw teams doing this at the Club World Cup. Hopefully we won’t need it.”
The intense temperatures at last year’s Club World Cup in the United States raised major concerns among medical experts and players’ unions about heat stress, dehydration and slower recovery times.
Tuchel acknowledged that such conditions would affect the tempo and intensity of matches during the World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
“You can’t play the same football in 45°C as you can in 21°C. We need to adjust and prepare the players as best as possible,” he said.
England topped their qualifying campaign with eight wins, scoring 22 goals without conceding once. They are placed in pot one for Friday’s draw, ensuring they avoid France, Spain and Argentina until the semi-finals—provided all top seeds win their groups.
“We need to see the draw, but we have a clear idea of the opponents we’d like to face. We’re improving and getting stronger. The goal is to arrive in June with a strong squad, with emphasis on unity and team spirit,” Tuchel added.
