TERRIGAL, Australia — About 50 miles north of Sydney, just set back from the beautiful sweeping sands of Terrigal Beach, is a slice of England. In the England women’s team hotel is a cornered-off section: the team base for the duration of the World Cup complete with Yorkshire Tea, rooms named after England legends, and an area where players can craft their own bespoke trainers.
It’s blissfully relaxed and against the backdrop of waves lapping on perfect sand, dogs of all shapes and sizes are walked up and down through the various cafes. The venue was chosen by a group headed up by FA women’s technical director Kay Cossington and England Women’s general manager Anja van Ginhoven off the back of 18 months’ work, including a scouting trip in May 2022 where they visited 23 hotels, 18 training venues and boarded nine different flights. The hotel here just off the beach is coupled with the training pitch at the Central Coast Stadium, a 20-minute drive away, which is said to have the best patch of grass for football in the country.
