England have announced their base camp and training center for this summer's UEFA Women's European Championship in Switzerland.
of lioness are the current holders of the competition after their historic triumph on home soil in 2022. They narrowly beat Germany in the final showdown at Wembley Stadium to win the country's first major honor since the 1966 World Cup final.
This time they will once again face stiff competition from eight-time winners Germany, as well as the current one world champions in Spain, France and host Switzerland. If they want to retain their European title, they will have to beat some of the best teams in world football.
To do that, England need to get things right off the pitch, which is why this week's announcement of their base camp and training facility is an important step in their pre-tournament preparations. The selection ends an extensive year-long run by the FA, in which staff visited 23 different facilities before securing qualification.
Sarina Wiegman's team will be based in Zurich for the duration of their campaign and their 'home away from home' will be the picturesque 5-star Dolder Grand Hotel on the outskirts of the city. It is located close to the city center and boasts a fully equipped spa and gym, which will provide the team with the best environment to prepare and relax throughout the tournament.
England's training base will be Sportanlage Au, a first-class sports complex in the nearby municipality of Opfikon. The facility is owned by the local authority and is home to FC Glattbrugg.
The Sportanlage Au will provide the team with a full-size training pitch, a high-performance gym and all the necessary recovery equipment. The FA has confirmed that members of the St.
After the announcement, Wiegman said: “Finding the right environment for the team to prepare and train, but also to rest and recover is one of the most important elements for tournament football. We have seen in 2022 and 2023 our 'home from home' has been a key part of our success and we are very confident that we have found another base camp that will meet all our needs.
“My thanks go to the FA for making this a priority and for their support in securing these two top class facilities. Although there is a lot of work to do and many months to go, we can't wait to get started.”