The U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) has erected blacked-out fences around their training facility in Seattle as a precautionary measure against potential spying. The team is preparing for their World Cup last-16 showdown against Belgium, scheduled for Monday night at Lumen Field. The new barriers were put in place at Husky Soccer Stadium, located at the University of Washington, where the USMNT is conducting its preparations.
This action comes approximately two weeks after head coach Mauricio Pochettino made comments about being "on the hunt for spies." During training before the team's Group D match against Australia, which the U.S. won 2-0, Pochettino was observed filming the field with his phone from a nearby elevated position. He later explained that he was "sharing a little bit to see things like this" and assessing the view from outside the training area, reportedly in jest.
The installation of five tarpaulin-covered fences on Saturday aims to obstruct any potential lines of sight into the practice field. The Husky Soccer Stadium's location is characterized by surrounding hills on one side and numerous buildings overlooking the field, presenting perceived vulnerabilities.
The USMNT has largely trained in Southern California for the duration of the World Cup, where their base was also reportedly secured with blacked-out fences and extensive security measures. The recent concerns about espionage echo a prior incident in English football involving Southampton and Middlesbrough during the Championship playoffs, which led to an analyst being caught filming a rival's training session. Southampton was subsequently expelled from the playoffs. Additionally, last year during the Gold Cup, Pochettino's team experienced a brief security scare when an unidentified drone was spotted over their headquarters, which was later determined to be a false alarm.