ALEXANDRIA, VA – For hundreds of Alexandria kids, the World Cup arrived not on a TV screen, but on the grass right in front of them.
Croatia’s men’s national soccer team — one of the world’s top‑ranked sides and 2018 World Cup finalists — turned Episcopal High School into a World Cup training ground Wednesday evening, inviting local youth to ring the field as they prepared for the 2026 tournament.
Alexandria was confirmed earlier this year as Croatia’s official Team Base Camp, a status now listed by FIFA and U.S. Soccer in their World Cup planning guides, which detail Alexandria’s World Cup plans and economic impact. “We are honored to welcome Croatia to Alexandria as their Team Base Camp for the World Cup 2026,” Visit Alexandria President and CEO Todd O’Leary said when the partnership was announced. He has described the city as Croatia’s “home away from home,” with players staying in Old Town and training at Episcopal’s West End campus…