England begin Group L against Croatia at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on 17 June, a 450-mile trip from their Kansas base. The round journey would cover 900 miles, with flight time expected to be around 90 minutes.
The second group match is more demanding. The fixture against Ghana at Gillette Stadium in Boston on 23 June requires a 1,242-mile journey from Kansas. England are then expected to remain in the north-east before facing Panama at MetLife Stadium four days later.
That decision would avoid an immediate return west, with only 170 miles separating Boston and the New York area. Returning to Kansas after the Panama match would add another 1,095 miles.
Winning the group would not guarantee a lighter route. A last-32 tie in Atlanta on 1 July would involve a 1,346-mile return journey from Kansas.
A possible last-16 match against Mexico in Mexico City would add 2,770 miles, while a quarter-final in Miami would mean another 2,454 miles. The projected total would reach 12,418 miles if England went all the way as group winners, almost half the Earth’s circumference.
Finishing second would still produce an estimated 10,720 miles, with potential matches in Toronto, Dallas and Los Angeles before a return to New Jersey.
The shortest route could come through the most unlikely scenario: England finishing third and still advancing. That path could include two matches at nearby Arrowhead Stadium either side of a trip to Vancouver, reducing the total to 9,030 miles.
The travel plan will therefore be part of England’s tournament management from the start. Their first test comes against Croatia on 17 June, when recovery and preparation begin competing with the demands of distance.