Playoff-bound FC Tulsa trains daily in the multifunctional sports facility now recognized on global stage
TULSA, Okla. (October 20, 2025) With the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup just eight months away, FC Tulsa has a chance to play a part in the world’s largest sporting event.
Thanks to efforts from the Tulsa Sports Commission and FC Tulsa, FC Tulsa’s training facility, where the playoff-bound squad sharpens their edge daily, has been added to FIFA’s Base Camp brochure – a list of potential team base camps – distributed to national teams across the globe. Each national federation will use the brochure to choose where they will stay and train during the group stage of the tournament.
“With a welcoming spirit unrivaled across the country, we are excited to see Tulsa listed as a possible Team Base Camp for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup,” said Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols. “Tulsa has a long, established soccer history at all levels, from high school, to college, to professional, dating back to the Tulsa Roughnecks in 1978. Combined with world-class training facilities, Tulsa would be an ideal host to any team.”
“We’re honored that our training facility has been recognized by FIFA as a potential World Cup base camp,” said Ryan Craft, President & Owner of FC Tulsa. “This is exactly why we built a professional training environment and club for Tulsa. To create something our city could be proud of and to use the game of soccer to elevate Tulsa on a national and global stage. Every day our players prepare on the same fields and in the same performance center that could soon host some of the greatest players in the world. It’s a proud moment for our club, our city, and our fans.”
FC Tulsa’s SportsPlex is a 190,000-square-foot complex that includes 11 professional-quality soccer fields, a high-performance fitness and recovery center, and cutting-edge athlete development technology. For FC Tulsa, it’s more than a facility — it’s the foundation of a winning culture.
“We are proud to welcome the global football community to world-class facilities that rival the very best in the game.” said Caleb Sewell, Sporting Director and GM. “Through the vision and commitment of the Craft family, these world-class resources not only elevate our club but also enrich the Tulsa community. Their commitment is a testament to a deep belief in this city and its future, and we are proud to showcase Tulsa on the international stage.”
With FC Tulsa clinching a spot in the 2025 USL Championship Playoffs, the inclusion of the facilities in FIFA’s list of potential team base camps underscores the momentum building around soccer in Tulsa. Hosting a World Cup team in 2026 would elevate that momentum into history.
The DoubleTree Warren Place has been identified as the potential host hotel, and Tulsa is prepared to welcome teams, media, and traveling supporters for extended stays.
“This is an incredible opportunity for our hoteliers and business community in Tulsa,” said Tulsa Regional Chamber President Mike Neal. “We have a well-known history of hosting elite-level sporting events in Tulsa such as PGA Championships, NCAA Basketball Tournaments and NCAA Wrestling Championships, and being a part of the largest sporting event in the world would be another fantastic feather in the cap for our city.”
“This is more than a soccer milestone — it’s a chance for Tulsa to show the world our passion, hospitality, and rising status as a soccer city,” Craft said.
National Teams will submit their final selections following the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026™. The draw, to take place on December 5 at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., will reveal the geographic zones in which teams will play their group matches, further guiding their decisions regarding their respective Team Base Camp locations.
“Next year’s FIFA World Cup will be an incredible opportunity for Tulsa,” said Renee McKenney, senior vice president of tourism for the Tulsa Regional Chamber and president, Tulsa Regional Tourism. “Especially coming right after the Centennial celebration of Route 66 and being centrally located in North America, all eyes will already be on Tulsa, and the chance to host a World Cup National Base Camp would make 2026 even more incredible for our city.”
Team Base Camp selections are expected to be unveiled in early 2026.
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About FC Tulsa
FC Tulsa is Oklahoma’s only professional soccer club, competing in the USL Championship, the second division of U.S. soccer. Since its 2019 relaunch, the club has been driven by a vision to inspire the next generation, grow the game in Oklahoma, and elevate Tulsa on the global stage. More information is available at fctulsa.com.
About the Tulsa Sports Commission
In 1993, the Tulsa Sports Commission (TSC) was created to attract and develop sporting events and conventions for economic impact on the Tulsa community. Since its inception, the TSC has accounted for more than $500 million in economic impact to the Tulsa region by helping attract, market and host championships and sports-related events and conventions to the region. The TSC is a founding member of the National Association of Sports Commissions (now Sports Events and Tourism Association) and lives within the Tulsa Regional Tourism umbrella organization. Learn more at visittulsa.com/sports.
About Tulsa Regional Tourism
Tulsa Regional Tourism is northeast Oklahoma’s premier accredited destination marketing organization. Housed at the Tulsa Regional Chamber, it includes Visit Tulsa for leisure travel, Tulsa Convention & Visitors Bureau for meetings & conventions, Tulsa Sports Commission for amateur & pro sports and the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture (FMAC) for creative industries and accredited film commission. Tulsa Regional Tourism leads the community’s bidding for and hosting of signature events like the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the Big 12 Wrestling Championship, USA BMX Grand Nationals, the Arabian Horse Association’s U.S. Nationals and more. For more information, visit visittulsa.com.
About Ascension St. John SportsPlex
The Ascension St. John SportsPlex is Tulsa’s premier multi-sport complex and the official training home of FC Tulsa. The SportsPlex is a state-of-the-art, 190,000 sq. ft. facility designed for athletes of all levels. Our expansive complex features 8 basketball courts, 16 volleyball courts, 11 soccer fields, and a cutting-edge 16,000 sq. ft. Sports Performance & Fitness Center.
