England top air miles among semi-finalists – does it matter?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, England have been staying at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas CityByMohamed Moallim, BBC Sport Journalist and Joe Bradshaw, BBC Sport senior journalistPublished7 minutes agoA World Cup staged across three countries was always going to test teams in ways no previous tournament had. With 16 host cities spread across North America, nations have travelled further than before in pursuit of football’s biggest prize.But while every team has had to contend with the vast distances, some have covered considerably more ground than others.England have travelled more than 14,000 miles to reach the last four – seven times further than favourites France and considerably more than semi-final opponents Argentina.Thomas Tuchel’s side have travelled back and forth from their base in Kansas City, Missouri, to play matches in Atlanta, Boston, Mexico City and Miami.Argentina have also based themselves in Kansas City but have covered a little more than 8,000 miles, while France have remained almost entirely on the east coast, travelling fewer than 2,000 miles before heading to Dallas for their semi-final against Spain.That round trip of about 3,000 miles will more than double their mileage for the entire tournament.Which other nations have travelled large distances?England are not alone in covering vast distances.Spain have logged more than 12,000 miles, while Switzerland exceeded 10,000 thanks to what the Swiss Football Association described as “venue hopping” across North America.Morocco repeatedly returned to their New Jersey base despite fixtures taking them to Boston, Atlanta, Monterrey and Houston before eventually bowing out to France in the quarter-finals.Belgium’s decision to base themselves in Renton, Washington, kept travel to about 4,000 miles before their exit against Spain.
France’s tally is one of the lowest of any nation at the tournament – with a total below even several teams eliminated after only three group matches.
Long-distance travel is nothing new at the World Cup. Brazil in 2014, Russia in 2018 and even South Africa in 2010 all required teams to cover significant distances.
The first 48-team World Cup, however, has presented a different challenge. With matches staged across three host nations and 16 cities, some teams have spent weeks shuttling back and forth across North America, while others have remained largely within the same region.
England’s route illustrates that contrast better than most. Their journey has already exceeded the total distance of countries at other tournaments.
