SPOKANE, Wash – Call it the worst-kept secret in Eastern Washington. The City of Spokane and Gonzaga University officially announced Tuesday that Spokane will serve as Egypt’s base camp for this summer’s World Cup.
4 News Now broke the story last month when the information showed up in a city council meeting agenda. The city wasn’t ready to officially make the announcement then, but FIFA finally confirmed the Team Base Camp Training Sites over the weekend.
“Each team participating in FIFA World Cup 2026 selects a Team Base Camp Training Site where the delegation will be headquartered to prepare for matches, including practice sessions, player workouts, team meetings and staff operations,” the City of Spokane said in a news release Tuesday.
This ‘home away from home’ is designed to provide a hub where teams will arrive ahead of their first match and will be available for those teams to return to between matches.”
Egypt plays June 15th against Belgium in Seattle, June 21st against New Zealand in Vancouver, BC and June 26th against Iran in Seattle.
Gonzaga University’s Luger Field will host team practices.
“Gonzaga University is honored to be selected as a Team Base Camp Training Site for this summer’s exciting FIFA World Cup, and we look forward to showcasing the world-class athletic facilities of our campus,” said Gonzaga University President Katia Passerini. “Global engagement is a key aspect of our mission as a university, and our Gonzaga community is excited for this tournament of fantastic football and international fellowship to include the Inland Northwest.”
It’s not clear if fans will have any access to team events or practices.
This is Egypt’s fourth World Cup appearance and features Premier League standout Mohamed Salah.
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