England fly to World Cup with Harry Kane and Thomas Tuchel dreaming of ending 60 years of hurt

England's World Cup campaign is officially underway after Thomas Tuchel's squad departed for the United States with dreams of ending almost six decades of hurt and bringing football's biggest prize back home.The Three Lions left from Birmingham Airport on Monday as preparations intensified ahead of the tournament, with captain Harry Kane among those photographed before boarding the flight to Florida.England will begin the journey with a training camp in Miami, where Tuchel will oversee final preparations before the opening group-stage fixture later this month.Two warm-up matches have been scheduled during the stay in Florida, with England facing New Zealand on Saturday before taking on Costa Rica next Wednesday. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford arrived in Miami ahead of the rest of the squad and has already begun individual preparations.Images shared on social media showed Rashford training on the pitch and in the gym at facilities used by Lionel Messi's MLS side, Inter Miami.The squad's first public engagement is scheduled for Tuesday morning when players take part in an open training session at Palm Beach Gardens before speaking to the media.Another open session is planned for Friday ahead of the New Zealand match, with Tuchel and a member of the squad also expected to address journalists.While Florida will serve as England's initial base, the Football Association has selected Kansas City as tournament headquarters for the duration of the competition.Rather than relocating between fixtures, England will remain in one location and fly to matches across the United States as required.The opening group-stage encounter is set to take place against Croatia at ATT Stadium in Arlington, Texas.England will then travel to Massachusetts for a clash with Ghana at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough before concluding the group phase against Panama at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.LATEST SPORTS NEWS:Thomas Tuchel suffers big setback due to rule change ahead of England World Cup campaignFormer England coach dies aged 71 as tributes pour inTrans athlete wins two titles as tempers boil over and protests take placeAway from the pitch, significant planning has gone into ensuring the squad has the best possible environment throughout the tournament.England will stay at the Inn at Meadowbrook, an exclusive boutique hotel designed in the style of a traditional English country estate.The entire 54-room property has been reserved for the squad and support staff, providing privacy and security during what could become a seven-week stay should England reach the final.The hotel includes luxury facilities, an acclaimed restaurant and outdoor social areas, with local reports suggesting some members of staff have been temporarily furloughed while the team occupies the venue.Security has also been a major consideration.Football Association officials reportedly requested an extensive security perimeter around the hotel before reaching an agreement with local law enforcement over a reduced exclusion zone.Whether additional screening measures are introduced remains unclear.The location itself presents an unusual logistical quirk.England's accommodation is situated in Kansas City, Kansas, while the training base lies approximately 20 minutes away across the state border in Kansas City, Missouri.Before settling on Kansas City, England explored the possibility of using a separate acclimatisation camp to help players prepare for potentially extreme temperatures and humidity expected at some venues.The idea was later abandoned in favour of remaining at a single headquarters throughout the tournament.Health concerns have also emerged ahead of the competition.Reports in the United States have highlighted measles outbreaks across parts of the USA, Mexico and Canada, with Texas among the areas most heavily affected.England's opening match will be played in Texas, where recent cases have been reported in the wider Dallas area near ATT Stadium.However, health data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates only a single recorded case in Missouri, where England will be based during the tournament.England will face Croatia, Ghana and Panama in the group stages of the competition. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter