Switzerland football team gets snake warning in San Diego

The Switzerland national football team’s preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 have been complicated by a local wildlife warning at their San Diego training base. Players and staff have been alerted to a designated “snake area” adjacent to their training pitch at the San Diego Jewish Academy in Carmel Valley, where they are preparing for their tournament opener against Qatar on June 13.

The team shared a map of the facility highlighting a large, dark red striped zone marked as a snake habitat just behind the main practice field. While there have been no confirmed sightings of snakes at the camp itself, the warning is a serious local precaution. According to the San Diego Natural History Museum, the region is home to four species of venomous rattlesnakes, including the Southern Pacific, red diamond, southwestern speckled, and Colorado Desert sidewinder. Rattlesnakes are common in the rural and canyon areas of San Diego County, especially as the weather warms.

Team management has not indicated any plans to relocate the training camp, and the Swiss squad continues its preparations at the designated facility. The team recently concluded its pre-tournament schedule with a 1-1 draw...