Two Suspects Reportedly Arrested After England's World Cup Gear Theft Incident
England's World Cup preparations were rolling along smoothly until a theft somewhere between Florida and Missouri threw a wrench in things.
The Three Lions had just wrapped up their pre-tournament camp in Florida and sent their equipment ahead to Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, their official World Cup training base. The gear never made it there untouched.
Several items were stolen during the journey, including match boots belonging to some of England's biggest players, official tournament balls and other training equipment.
The Kansas City Police Department launched an investigation and moved quickly. Two people have already been brought in.
"Two subjects of interest were taken into custody pending further investigation," a police spokesperson said via Sky News' Rob Harris.
Kansas City Police tell @skynews on thefts from England team: "Two subjects of interest were taken into custody pending further investigation" https://t.co/TlP7Mm3mg8
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) June 13, 2026
England FA Equipment Theft: What Was Taken and What Happens Next
The Football Association declined to comment, stating the matter is now in the hands of U.S. authorities. That said, Sky Sports News understands most of the stolen items have since been recovered.
Managing the logistics for a major tournament is no small task for the FA. The volume of gear that needs to move ahead of the squad is significant. Training cones, mannequins, footballs, kits and other essentials all have to be in place before the players arrive.
American police are investigating, after a significant amount of England's kit was stolen en route to their new training base in Kansas City.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 13, 2026
Sky Sports News has been told that the majority of the kit has now been recovered pic.twitter.com/cVdMjRjxIY
Having any of that compromised days before camp opens is far from ideal.
Despite the disruption, England's first training session at Swope Soccer Village is still on schedule for Saturday afternoon. The mood within the camp remains positive after a productive acclimatization stay in West Palm Beach, where Thomas Tuchel's side picked up friendly wins over New Zealand in Tampa and Costa Rica in Orlando.
England open their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Croatia on June 17 at Dallas Stadium, with kickoff at 4:00 p.m. ET. They then face Ghana on June 23 at Boston Stadium and wrap up group-stage play against Panama on June 27 at New York New Jersey Stadium.
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This story was originally published June 13, 2026 at 5:35 AM.