A Strategic Choice in the U.S. South
After an 18‑month search, the German Football Association settled on Winston‑Salem, North Carolina, as the hub for its 2026 World Cup campaign. The decision was driven by a combination of state‑of‑the‑art training grounds, a historic campus atmosphere and a city eager to showcase its German Moravian roots to a global audience.
Wake Forest University’s athletic complex, highlighted by the 3,000‑seat W. Dennie Spry Soccer Stadium and adjacent training fields, offers a level of infrastructure that matched the squad’s exacting standards. The nearby Graylyn Estate provides a secluded yet accessible retreat, allowing the team to focus on preparation while enjoying a degree of privacy rarely available in urban settings.
The presence of up to 200 German journalists and dedicated fans is expected to turn the city into a media magnet for the tournament’s early stages. Local tourism officials anticipate a measurable surge in visitor numbers, projecting that the influx will generate significant economic benefits for hotels, restaurants and cultural venues across the region.
Germany’s schedule will see the team remain in Winston‑Salem through the group phase, with matches against Ivory Coast on June 20 and Ecuador on June 25 before moving on to the knockout rounds that culminate at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19. The itinerary reflects a broader pattern of 48 national squads dispersing across the United States, Canada and Mexico for their base‑camp preparations.
Head Coach Julian Nagelsmann praised the collaboration with Wake Forest and the municipality, noting that the quality of the training surface — maintained in part by a specialist groundskeeper brought in from Germany — has been crucial during the region’s summer heat. Security fencing around the practice fields is adorned with banners that read “Danke Winston‑Salem / Thanks Winston‑Salem,” a visual testament to the gratitude felt by the squad.
Beyond the immediate sporting objectives, the partnership underscores a cultural exchange that honors the city’s German heritage while positioning Winston‑Salem as a key node in the global football narrative. The arrangement also highlights the willingness of the German Football Association to invest more than a million dollars in a training environment that meets its exacting standards.