Reece James eyes Donald Trump reunion at USA World Cup as England's biggest test named | OneFootball

The US President was on stage when Chelsea won the Club World Cup in New Jersey

Reece James has told Harry Kane it is his turn to entertain Donald Trump on the winners' podium at next summer's World Cup — and hopes FIFA change kick-off times to guard against the sweltering heat.

Asked whether he has planned what he would say to Trump, James joked: “No! I don’t have a plan. I’ll leave that to Harry!”

The tournament, like the Club World Cup, is set to be played in the American summer heat when temperatures are expected to soar beyond 30 degrees.

“It’s super difficult conditions to play in that heat, especially us playing in England — there’s not anything like that before,” James said, recalling the summer.

“Once you are out there you adapt the longer you are there. You feel the heat the minute you step outside the hotel. The conditions are super hot, difficult conditions to play in and the pitches when we were there weren’t the greatest either and made it a little bit harder. But hopefully by the time the World Cup comes around it’s better.

“It’s been a key message: that the conditions will be tough in the middle of the summer in America. We are trying to prepare as best we can.”

England are preparing to play two pre-tournament friendlies ahead of the World Cup which could take place in Miami, and Thomas Tuchel’s squad experienced a warm-weather fitness camp in June ahead of facing Andorra in a qualifier in which heat impacted their performance in a narrow 1-0 win in Barcelona.

“Warm-weather training camps would help,” James continued. “We finished last season with not much time. We didn’t have time to go away to warm weather, so it was kind of just, finish the Premier League and go to 40-degree heat.

“There was no real time to adapt where, hopefully this season, going into the World Cup, the team will have the opportunity to be exposed to heat and different climates.”

Tuchel is in vehement support of later kick-off times for his team to ensure they do not suffer from heat exhaustion, and is not concerned if this means England games kicking off at 2am for viewers watching from back home.

“For sure, that would definitely help, later kick-offs when it’s not so hot and humid,” James said. “That would definitely help.

“I haven’t been asked about my thoughts on kick-off times [by FIFA]. I’m sure they will have asked someone. Maybe managers or people at the clubs. I’m sure they will have got some feedback [from the Club World Cup].”