"The Football Association is experiencing difficulties in securing suitable opposition for England's World Cup warm-up games owing to their late start to the expanded 48-team tournament. England open against Croatia on the last day of the first round of games on 17 June, six days after the first match between Mexico and South Africa, and Thomas Tuchel wants final preparation games as close to his team's tournament kick-off as possible."
"Fifa regulations prevent participants from playing friendlies in the final five days before their first game of the tournament. That means only teams playing on 16 and 17 June who will include two qualifiers from March's intercontinental playoffs could face England on 10 June. The FA is in discussions with several national associations and confirmation of England's opponents is expected this month."
"With its options limited, New Zealand, who have qualified, and Costa Rica, who have not, are understood to be under consideration. England have been starved of top-class opposition under Tuchel, making the identity of friendly opponents more significant. The highest-ranked opponents England have played under Tuchel have been Senegal, who were 19th when they won 3-1 in Nottingham last summer, and the best team they have beaten according to the Fifa rankings are Wales, who were 30th at the time."
The Football Association is having difficulty securing suitable warm-up opponents because England's World Cup opener is on 17 June, late in the expanded 48-team schedule. Thomas Tuchel requested friendlies near the Florida training camp on 6 and 10 June, seeking opponents close to the tournament kick-off. Fifa regulations bar participants from playing friendlies in the final five days before their first game, limiting potential opponents to teams playing on 16 or 17 June. The FA is negotiating with several associations; New Zealand and Costa Rica are under consideration. England have lacked top-class opposition under Tuchel, with Senegal (19th) and Wales (30th) the highest-ranked recent opponents.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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