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England have announced their base camp and training center for this summer’s UEFA Women’s European Championship in Switzerland.
This the lioness They are the current holders of the competition after a historic victory on home soil in 2022. They won the nation’s first major honor in the 1966 World Cup final, narrowly defeating Germany in the final showdown at Wembley Stadium.
This time they will once again face stiff competition from eight-time champions Germany as well as the current World Champion in Spain, France and host Switzerland. They will have to overcome some of the best teams in world football if they are to retain their European title.
To do so, England need to get things going off the pitch, which is why this week’s announcement of their base camp and training facility is an important step in preparations ahead of the tournament. The selection ends an extensive year-long process conducted by the FA, which saw staff visit 23 different facilities before qualifying.
Sarina Wiegmann’s side 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 has a spa and a fully equipped gym, which will provide the best environment for the team 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 necessary recovery facilities. The FA has confirmed that members of the St George’s Park ground team will also work with staff before and during the tournament to ensure the pitch is maintained to the highest standard.
After the announcement, Wigman said: “Finding the right environment for the team to prepare and train but also rest and recover is one of the most important elements for tournament football. We have seen in 2022 and 2023 that our ‘home to home’ is a key part of our success and we are very confident that we have found another basecamp that will meet all our needs.
“My thanks to the FA for sharing this as 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 going.
