Oakland, CA – Oakland Roots and Soul Sports Club is excited to welcome the Australian Men’s National Team to the East Bay Area. The Socceroos as they are known will be training at the Oakland Roots/Soul Training Facility on Alameda’s Bay Farm Island as their base camp site for the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
“We are proud to host such a premier team in the world of soccer,” said Oakland Roots and Soul SC President Lindsay Barenz. “Australia has an incredible fan base, and we look forward to welcoming them to our city and region.”
Australia is set to take on the UEFA Path C winner in Vancouver on June 13, then face the U.S. Men’s National Team in Seattle on June 19, before returning to the Bay Area to close out their group against Paraguay on June 25 in the San Francisco Bay Area in Santa Clara.
“We are delighted to call Oakland, Alameda, the San Francisco Bay Area and California home during the FIFA World Cup 2026. We look forward to forging close ties with the local community, both on and off the field,” Deputy CEO and Executive Director of Football, Heather Garriock said.
“Most importantly, Socceroos Head Coach Tony Popovic and his high-performance team are pleased with the selection. Having Oakland confirmed as our official base camp provides the players with a first-class environment to prepare for the rigours of a World Cup.
“There are many synergies between the city of Oakland, the broader San Francisco Bay Area and the Socceroos. We look forward to building a lasting partnership and enjoying the passionate backing of Oakland Roots and Soul, and the local community.”
The Australian national team are four-time Oceania Football Confederation champions and one-time Asian Football Confederation champions, after switching to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 2006. The Socceroos have qualified for seven FIFA World Cups, including each of the last six tournaments.
They are currently led by head coach Tony Popovic – a former Socceroos defender (58 Caps, 8 goals) who featured in the 2006 FIFA World Cup as a player – who took over in 2024.
“We secured the San Francisco Bay Area, which was our top pick. The Oakland training base is ideal for our needs, and we are looking forward to making it our home throughout the FIFA World Cup,” said Head Coach Tony Popovic.
“The Socceroos staff has done a wonderful job, and I am confident the players will be very happy in this environment.
“It will be a comfortable setting for the players. We also believe the region will be a fantastic, welcoming location for our travelling fans.
“The facility is elite, and the training pitches are fantastic. The local community, including everyone at Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul has been very accommodating and a pleasure to work with.”
“We are so incredibly proud to be hosting such a prominent team in our city ahead of the biggest tournament in the world,” said Alameda Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft. “We have been thrilled to be the home training base of Oakland Roots and Soul for almost 5 years and are excited to now welcome Australia to this fabulous facility and to our island.”
“Australia’s national team choosing the Oakland Roots and Soul facility as their home base for the 2026 World Cup is a proud moment for Oakland and the entire East Bay,” said Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. “I’m excited they’ll be preparing for the world’s biggest tournament at this world-class facility, and so proud of the Oakland Roots and Soul and their partnership with the city to bring this incredible opportunity to our region – Oakland is on the move.”
“I’m honored to have our County selected as a home base site for the Australian National Team,” said President of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors David Haubert. “Oakland Roots and Soul have been a beacon of community driven impact in Alameda County and supporting them in making this happen has been a few years in the making.”
Oakland Roots and Soul SC Contact:
Tommy Hodul, VP of Public Relations and Communications
