Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil make important decision ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup
In less than five months, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will officially kick off in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. As a result, the national teams that have already secured qualification are beginning their pre-tournament preparations, including Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil.
On Thursday, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced via a statement published on its official website that Brazil have selected the location where they will be based, at least initially, during the upcoming World Cup.
They confirmed “the Columbia Park Training Center in Morristown and The Ridge hotel in Basking Ridge, both in the state of New Jersey, on the American East Coast, as venues for the Brazilian national team at the 2026 World Cup.”
At the same time, the statement noted that Ancelotti approved the facilities. “We are very pleased with this decision. The training center is new, modern and offers all the conditions for our work, before and during the World Cup,” the Italian coach said.
Brazil’s path at the 2026 World Cup
Unlike the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which was played entirely in the city of Doha, the 2026 edition in North America will be the first in history to be hosted by three different countries, creating significant travel distances between venues.
As a result, the selection of each team’s base and training site becomes a key decision, as coaches will look to minimize travel time in order to maximize rest and training. That is why the choice of the Columbia Park Training Center and The Ridge hotel appears to be a very sound one.
Brazil will make their Group C debut on June 13 against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the same location where they will be staying. Six days later, they will face Haiti at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, which will require only a short trip. The group stage will conclude on June 24 with a match against Scotland at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, a journey that will require a flight of approximately two hours.
“Columbia Park boasts modern training areas, gyms, locker rooms, and administrative offices, providing a high-level environment for elite soccer training, which makes its use viable in other phases of the World Cup, should Brazil choose to remain in New Jersey,” the statement added.
This suggests that Ancelotti’s team has not yet decided what it will do once the group stage concludes. If logic prevails and Brazil win their group, the path to the final would include matches in Houston, New Jersey, Miami, and Atlanta, culminating with the final at MetLife Stadium. In that scenario, remaining at the same facilities would make sense.