USMNT base camp expected to leave lasting impact on Irvine

The USMNT will live and train in Orange County for the entirety of the group stage, making the city of Irvine the “center of American soccer” for a few weeks, according to Ryan Tolmich of GOAL. Bringing the USMNT to Great Park took years and has “ignited a community, temporarily made a team homeless, and leaned into the history of an area that has hosted presidents and some of America’s finest heroes.” The team moved in on Monday, drawing around 5,500 locals for a training session, and marking the start of the USMNT’s World Cup journey. But it was also the “culmination of a six-year-long process that promises to change a city, and perhaps a country.” USL Championship club Orange County SC, who are based at Championship Soccer Stadium in Great Park, “vacated their home” for the duration of the USMNT’s stay. Hosting duties will “surely do more than enough to offset the brief pain points.” The club is in the process of shopping the naming rights to the stadium, and the increased publicity “will surely help.” OCSC President Dan Rutstein said that he “believes the community will feel the impact for a while” (GOAL, 6/9). USMNT captain and D Tim Ream said the team has been “pleasantly surprised by the excitement and the buzz around the team and in the stadium the last two games.” Ream said having 5,500 fans watching training sessions is “incredible” (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 6/8).