06/20/2026
England may be in Kansas City to chase a World Cup, but the team spent its first day off trying one of the world’s fastest-growing sports instead.
The Three Lions stopped by La Casa Del Padel in Overland Park, where players traded the soccer pitch for the padel court before returning to training at Swope Soccer Village. England is one of four national teams calling the Kansas City metro home during the tournament.
The visit also shines a spotlight on La Casa Del Padel, the Johnson County club founded by several current and former Sporting Kansas City players to help introduce the sport to Kansas City. Padel, a mix of tennis and squash, has exploded in popularity around the world, and now some of the game’s biggest soccer stars are getting in on the action right here in KC.