We’re now officially less than two years away from the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, but on Wednesday it was revealed four current USL Championship clubs will be part of the continent-wide event when it arrives on these shores.

Indy Eleven’s Grand Park Sports Campus, Louisville City FC’s Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center, Orange County SC’s Great Park Sports Complex and San Antonio FC’s STAR Soccer Complex have been selected as Team Base Camps, providing high-level amenities for countries who will participate in the 48-team tournament.

• SCALING UP: The announcement shouldn’t be a surprise considering the investment USL Championship clubs have made into permanent facilities, providing world-class training fields, weight rooms and recovery centers to keep players in top shape throughout the season.  

• STRATEGIC LOCATION: Each of the facilities will be tied to a specific host venue for games throughout the tournament. Orange County’s proximity to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles makes it a logical fit, while you’d imagine countries playing in Atlanta will have Louisville as an option for base camp, and the same goes for countries competing in Kansas City for Indy and Houston for San Antonio.

• BROADENING SCOPE: There are 16 venues slated to host games from the opening match in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11 to the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 19, but by serving as a Base Camp local fans could get the opportunity to see some of the top players in the world in their cities as the tournament progresses.

We’re set for a cascade of high-level soccer in the United States over the next three summers, starting next week with the 2024 Copa America.

The best part? Everyone’s going to have a chance to get a piece of the action.