Two countries that had visited Lawrence pick World Cup base camps elsewhere
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Germany selected Wake Forest as its 2026 World Cup base camp after visiting KU.
- South Korea favors Guadalajara for a base camp, driven by group match locations.
- Other visiting teams like Colombia, England and Argentina keep base decisions pending.
John Currie may no longer be the athletic director at Kansas State University, but he still took something away from KU.
The German men’s soccer team announced late last week they would establish their base camp for the 2026 World Cup at Wake Forest University, where Currie is the school’s athletic director.
Germany, along with three other national teams, previously visited Rock Chalk Park and the University of Kansas, as The Star’s Shreyas Laddha reported.
But that was before the World Cup draw, which set Germany’s three matches in Houston, Toronto and East Rutherford, New Jersey.
“Wake Forest is proud to partner with Winston-Salem to serve as the German Men’s National Team’s home base during the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” Currie said in a news release. “Hosting a four-time World Cup champion reflects the strength of our University soccer culture, which is truly world-class. ...
“This is another winning moment for Wake Forest and Winston-Salem, and I am deeply grateful for the collaboration that made it happen.”
Currie was Kansas State’s athletic director from 2009-17.
FIFA is not expected to announce where all 48 teams competing in the 2026 World Cup will have their base camps until the final playoff matches have been played later this year.
However, another nation that visited Lawrence also is poised to establish its camp elsewhere.
The South Korean team is likely to set up a base camp in Guadalajara, Mexico, according to The Chosun Daily. That publication noted South Korea will play its first two group stage matches in Guadalaraja, which makes that spot enticing.
Colombia and England also visited Rock Chalk Park, The Star reported. Neither has made a decision where it will have a base camp, but England reportedly had been interested in training at Sporting Kansas City’s facilities.
Defending champion Argentina also reportedly has interest in that site for a base camp. And reports from England say the Netherlands could be eyeing Kansas City, but there has been no official word.
So perhaps Rock Chalk Park will get one of those big-time soccer teams.
Meanwhile, France announced Monday its camp would be in Boston, and Portugal will be in Riviera Maya in Mexico, according to reports from that country.
This story includes reporting from The Star’s Shreyas Laddha
This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 8:57 AM.
