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The England national football team’s base for the upcoming World Cup will be turned into what officials describe as a “virtual fortress,” completely enclosed by reinforced concrete barriers and visual screens to block any potential sniper attacks, according to a report by The Sun.

To counter the threat of drone surveillance, authorities will impose a strict no-fly zone over the area. A dedicated command and control center for security operations will also be established inside the 54-room The Inn at Meadowbrook Hotel, situated directly across from the team’s main complex.

Armed police officers, specialized security personnel, and private guards are scheduled to patrol the entire perimeter of the facility in Prairie Village, Kansas, around the clock.

Privacy screens will additionally be installed to ensure that approximately 500 residents living in a nearby apartment block cannot observe the squad’s activities from their windows.

England players are seen celebrating after crushing Serbia 5-0 in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match held on September 9, 2025. Photo by Reuters.

The decision to implement such extensive safety measures stems from concerns over local gun crime rates and other potential threats in the surrounding areas.

Local law enforcement will escort the England team bus on every trip between the hotel and their training facility at the nearby Swope Soccer Village. That training ground will also be heavily shielded from public view and protected from any aerial drone intrusions.

“The safety and security of players, staff, and their families is the number one priority, but precautions in the U.S. have been stepped up further,” said a source close to the Three Lions camp.

When Thomas Tuchel’s squad officially arrives in Kansas on June 13, partners, family members, and friends of the players will be given specially issued passes to gain access within the secured perimeter.

The Football Association’s security team has also heightened its alert level following a recent domestic controversy in which Southampton was barred from the English Championship play-off final after one of its staff members was caught spying on Middlesbrough’s training sessions, according to The Guardian.

With several national teams previously accused of using spies during major international tournaments, strict vigilance will be maintained across key venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

In response, police in Kansas and ten other U.S. host cities will use anti-drone guns that can jam or seize control of suspicious aerial devices. Hexacopter drones will then intercept and capture these drones using nets before transporting them for safe disposal.

Military authorities in Mexico and Canada—where England might play during the knockout rounds—will deploy similar handheld anti-drone jamming equipment and fixed electronic warfare systems.

Security measures will remain stringent well beyond the training facilities. For England’s first World Cup group stage match on June 17 at the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington, near Dallas, hundreds of additional police officers will be deployed, and another no-fly zone will be instituted to ensure maximum safety.