World Cup Team to Train in Boca Raton, City OKs EMS Coverage

FAU’s soccer complex, Boca Raton, FL, which will host a 2026 World Cup team. (Photo: FAU)

A team contending for the World Cup in 2026 has selected Boca Raton as its training site, resulting in the city this week approving a deal to provide EMS coverage for the team during their activities.

The Curaçao Men’s National Team selected Florida Atlantic University as its official training site and team headquarters during the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer. Curaçao’s team, nicknamed the Blue Wave, is the smallest country to have qualified for the cup, and cited Boca Raton’s good weather, proximity to international airports, and the quality of FAU’s soccer facilities as the reasons behind their choice.

VIDEO: Curacao, a small Caribbean island, has made history as the smallest country by population to qualify for football’s World Cup. pic.twitter.com/6XEDt31h03

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) April 19, 2026

“Florida Atlantic is honored to be selected as a World Cup host training site and excited to welcome the Curaçao Men’s National Team here this summer,” said FAU Vice President and Director of Athletics Brian White. “The selection is a testament, not only to our incredible facilities, but the world-class destination that Boca Raton has become. Boca is a soccer-rich community, and FAU’s history of championship success in the sport is deep-rooted under the leadership of women’s head coach Patrick Baker and men’s head coach Joey Worthen.”

This week, the city council unanimously passed a resolution, honoring a request from FIFA to provide EMS services for the training camp. Boca Raton Fire-Rescue will provide on-site Advanced Life Support (ALS) standby coverage during team training sessions to ensure immediate medical intervention for players and staff, a memorandum from city hall to council members said. This is a proactive safety measure “consistent with industry standards for professional and high-performance athletic training environments.”

FAU’s soccer complex, Boca Raton, FL, which will host a 2026 World Cup team. (Photo: FAU)

The city’s typical staffing configuration for this type of service is a rescue truck staffed with three paramedics with full ALS equipment, and will be present during each training session. This service will not affect normal emergency operations in the city, officials said, as off-duty personnel and a ready reserve rescue unit will be utilized. The agreement provides full reimbursement to the city, including a $499.49 hourly rate for ALS rescue services, administrative fees, and transport charges. It is estimated that 15 training sessions will occur, resulting in at least $29,940 in reimbursement.

Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island nation, located in the southern Caribbean Sea near Aruba, is making its FIFA World Cup debut in 2026. In November 2025, the Blue Wave topped their qualifying group to mark its historic qualification. The team will begin its World Cup participation on June 14 versus Germany in Houston, followed by group stage matches on June 20 versus Ecuador in Kansas City and June 25 versus Ivory Coast in Philadelphia.

Boca Raton will also serve as the hub for Curaçao’s fans and media, with community events and engagements still to be determined, FAU officials said. The team is scheduled to arrive in the area in early June.