Switzerland, Norway have an additional opponent to fear in training – snakes
Their areas around their training bases are infested with venomous reptiles – rattlesnakes, sidewinder and copperheads – and players have been advised to stay clear
Switzerland's, from left, Breel Embolo, Noah Okafor and Granit Xhaka argue during a training session for the national soccer team, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in San Diego, ahead of the World Cup soccer tournament. (Peter Klaunzer/Keystone via AP) With a day left for the first kick of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, teams are busy with their final preparations. Making opponent-specific strategies and dealing with the heat is uppermost in most sides’ agenda, but as far as Switzerland are concerned, they have to be wary of a much deadlier threat – snakes.
The Swiss have their base at San Diego’s Jewish Academy, but the adjoining area is infested by venomous reptiles, making training sometimes a scary proposition. According to swissinfo.ch, the players have been warned about the danger.
Switzerland open their campaign against Qatar at San Francisco on Saturday (0030 hours Sunday, India time), and the snakes is a problem they may not have prepared for in the lead-up to the tournament. A ‘Snake Area’ has been duly marked on the map of their training facility.
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