France head coach Didier Deschamps has voiced concerns over conditions in the United States as his team prepares for the 2026 World Cup.
The French team are currently on a training tour aimed at adapting to the host nation’s environment, but the experience has exposed several logistical challenges.
From a football perspective, France has reasons to be optimistic. They secured a notable victory over Brazil despite going down to 10 men after Dayot Upamecano was sent off.
There were also encouraging signs in attack, with Hugo Ekitiké impressing alongside captain Kylian Mbappé.
What Deschamps said
However, Deschamps made it clear that logistical issues have overshadowed the sporting positives.
He said, “We are having problems with travel times. Not because of the distance, but because of the time it takes."
He explained that traffic congestion has already affected scheduling.
“It can force us to delay or adjust training sessions,” he added.
The French coach also pointed to poor coordination between training and media activities.
“We have to train on a different pitch, but the media activities are held at the stadium. There’s only a 45-minute break in between,” Deschamps noted.
Deschamps further highlighted issues with airport procedures and security checks in the United States.
“It takes a long time at the airport. There are security checks like I’ve never seen before in my life,” he said.
He revealed that players had previously warned him about similar experiences.
“I spoke with the players who were there, and they described some complicated situations," he added.
Deschamps is particularly worried about weather conditions and match scheduling.
“The temperatures will be different in the summer. The heat will demand intensive recovery periods,” he explained.
France will conclude their preparation tour with a friendly against Colombia.