COLUMBUS – The Columbus Crew today announced that the Club’s training facility has been selected by the Ecuadorian Football Federation as their official Team Base Camp training site for FIFA World Cup 2026™.
“We are honored to welcome Ecuador to Columbus and our facilities this summer,” said Crew General Manager Issa Tall. “Our performance center was designed to provide the best amenities for players and teams, and we are proud to host one of South America’s top countries during the FIFA World Cup. This is an exciting opportunity to not only highlight the quality of our facilities but also the enthusiasm for the game across our city. We look forward to working closely with the Ecuadorian Federation to provide a world-class training environment and support their players and staff during their time in Columbus.”
“Columbus gives us a top-level environment to prepare with intensity and conviction. It’s the kind of place that aligns with our process and pushes us to grow every day as a team,” said Ecuador Head Coach Sebastián Beccacece on the Federation selecting Columbus as the side’s Team Base Camp.
The Crew’s world-class facility will serve as Ecuador’s official training site and home base beginning on May 25. Led by a number of young stars, Ecuador heads into their fifth overall appearance in the FIFA World Cup™ after finishing second in the South American qualifiers, behind only reigning champions Argentina. Drawn into Group E, La Tri faces Côte d'Ivoire on June 14 in Philadelphia, Curaçao on June 20 in Kansas City, and Germany on June 25 in New Jersey.
Opened in June 2021, the dynamic, 42,000+ square feet facility is home to all Crew soccer operations, from the First Team through the Academy, which allows the Crew to further integrate young players within the development pathway and deliver a top-class environment to all the Club’s athletes. Located adjacent to the team’s former stadium, – Historic Crew Stadium, the first stadium in the U.S. built specifically for professional soccer – the campus includes two First Team grass fields supported by hydronic heating and subsurface aeration and moisture management systems, and one additional natural grass field plus a flex/goalkeeper area and two full-size turf fields installed in 2024. The facility also features a full-service kitchen and dining area, eight locker rooms, lounges, multiple training and weight rooms, a theater and a dedicated press conference space.
Since it opened, the Crew’s training facility has hosted a number of top clubs and countries including the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams, regional powerhouses Club América and Cruz Azul in addition to other top Mexican sides, and the MLS and Liga MX All-Stars during the 2024 MLS All-Star Game festivities hosted in Columbus.
More information on community events and activities to welcome and celebrate Ecuador’s summer in Columbus will be shared soon.