'Take shelter' - Worrying tornado warning issued to England's World Cup squad

Thomas Tuchel and his England squad were met with a worrying introduction to life in the American Midwest on Saturday evening. Just hours after arriving in Kansas City following a period of training in Florida, the team was forced to stay in their hotel as local authorities issued high-level emergency alerts across the region.

The squad had earlier completed a community training session at the Swope Soccer Village in sweltering heat, but the conditions turned rapidly as a major storm front moved in. As reported by The Athletic, they then received automated warning messages on their phones just after 8pm local time on Saturday from the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS), that there was a ‘Severe Thunderstorm Warning’ and that they should “take shelter in a sturdy building, away from windows”, with fears of winds of up to 80mph.

The situation intensified at approximately 8.30pm. when the NWS upgraded the threat level. A "Tornado Watch" was placed on Johnson County, Kansas, where the England team hotel is located. Simultaneously, a "Tornado Warning" was issued for Jackson County, Missouri, where the team training ground is, and where they trained for the first time on Saturday afternoon.

While the England delegation remained confined to the safety of their hotel, the impact of the storm was felt across the region. Reports then mentioned that a tornado did touch down in Missouri, though it remained outside the immediate vinicity of Kansas City. Many members of the squad and coaching staff had been following the tournament’s progress while watching the broadcast of Scotland vs Haiti, but the coverage on Fox was frequently interrupted and eventually superseded by live emergency weather broadcasts.

Severe wind and rain hit Kansas City on Saturday night and knocked out the power for many residents. Despite all of that, the squad’s schedule is expected to remain intact, with the team planning to return to Swope Soccer Village on Sunday morning for their final preparations on Kansas City soil. From there, the focus shifts entirely to their arrival in Dallas, where they are scheduled to face Croatia on June 17 in a highly anticipated Group L opener.

This incident highlights a growing concern for tournament organisers regarding the North American summer climate. Extreme weather is becoming a recurring theme for major footballing events in the region; last summer’s Club World Cup saw multiple matches delayed or rescheduled due to lightning and severe storms. The current World Cup is facing similar logistical hurdles, with storm warnings already in place for two of Sunday’s fixtures: Sweden vs Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico, and Ivory Coast vs Ecuador in Philadelphia.