Inside England's World Cup squad 2026: Thomas Tuchel's final roster will mean major snubs for big stars
· Yahoo Sports
Inside England's World Cup squad 2026: Thomas Tuchel's final roster will mean major snubs for big stars originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
England are hoping that 2026 will bring an end to 60 years of World Cup hope.
Visit bettingx.club for more information.
The Three Lions enter the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico as one of the favourites, having swept through qualification with a perfect record of eight wins from eight.
However, disappointing friendly performances in the March international break, coupled with uncertainty around the form and fitness of some top players, has dampened some of the enthusiasm around the team's chances.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel will name his squad on Friday, and while he has a core of key figures certain to be on the plane, there are other selections that are harder to predict.
2026 WORLD CUP HQ:Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup tickets
England World Cup squad 2026
Tuchel will name his final squad on May 22, two days before the last day of the Premier League season. However, multiple reports have leaked with information on who has been included and who has been left out.
Teams had until Monday, May 11 to submit to FIFA an official preliminary list of 35-55 players, from which they are required to name a final roster by Saturday, May 30.
The final list of players will be updated below once the announcement is made. Below is a predicted roster, with those various reports taken into consideration.
Caps and stats are correct as of May 21.
PositionNo.PlayerClubAgeCapsGKDean HendersonCrystal Palace (Premier League, England)294GKJordan PickfordEverton (Premier League, England)3282GKJames TraffordManchester City (Premier League, England)231DEFDan BurnNewcastle (Premier League, England)346DEFReece JamesChelsea (Premier League, England)2622DEFMarc GuehiManchester City (Premier League, England)2527DEFEzri KonsaAston Villa (Premier League, England)2818DEFTino LivramentoNewcastle United (Premier League, England)235DEFNico O'ReillyManchester City (Premier League, England)213DEFMyles Lewis-SkellyArsenal (Premier League, England)196DEFJohn StonesManchester City (Premier League, England)3187MIDElliot AndersonNottingham Forest (Premier League, England)237MIDJude BellinghamReal Madrid (La Liga, Spain)2246MIDEberechi EzeArsenal (Premier League, England)2716MIDJames GarnerEverton (Premier League, England)252MIDJordan HendersonBrentford (Premier League, England)3589MIDKobbie MainooManchester United (Premier League, England)2112MIDDeclan RiceArsenal (Premier League, England)2772MIDMorgan RogersAston Villa (Premier League, England)2313FWDAnthony GordonNewcastle United (Premier League, England)2517FWDHarry KaneBayern Munich (Bundesliga, Germany)32112FWDNoni MaduekeArsenal (Premier League, England)2410FWDMarcus RashfordManchester United (Premier League, England)Currently on loan at Barcelona2870FWDBukayo SakaArsenal (Premier League, England)2448FWDIvan ToneyAl Ahly (Pro League, Saudi Arabia)307FWDOllie WatkinsAston Villa (Premier League, England)3020
England injuries ahead of World Cup
One of the most recent injuries saw Arsenal's Ben White struck down by knee ligament damage, which is likely to keep him out of the World Cup.
Newcastle's Tino Livramento is the likely beneficiary of White's absence, but he has missed several games due to muscle problems this season and is not a guaranteed presence in the squad. The same could be said for Reece James, who is back playing for Chelsea but whose hamstring issues have reared their head again lately.
Dominic Solanke's recent hamstring problem has largely curtailed his season, but he was facing a battle to get into the squad anyway given the depth of attacking talent at Tuchel's disposal.
Djed Spence suffered a broken jaw in Tottenham's penultimate match of the Premier League season, but will reportedly play their domestic finale with a protective mask, suggesting he will be fit to play at the World Cup.
England players set for World Cup snub
Perhaps the biggest question has centred around Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has been overlooked by Tuchel in the past and may well miss out on the final squad even amid the injuries to White and Livramento. The Real Madrid right-back did make the provisional squad list, though, so he has a chance.
The day before the roster announcement, it became known that Harry Maguire had been omitted from the final list. The Manchester United defender posted on X that he was "shocked and gutted" by the decision.
I was confident I could of played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had. I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision.
— Harry Maguire (@HarryMaguire93) May 21, 2026
I’ve loved nothing more than putting that shirt on and representing my country over the years.
I wish the players, all the… pic.twitter.com/9X7asAkCFF
Another big star who will reportedly miss out is Phil Foden, who has endured a difficult couple of seasons when compared with his outstanding 2023/24 campaign in which he was named PFA Players' Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year. Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze are all arguably ahead of him in the pecking order for the No. 10 role, and Noni Madueke is more likely to be picked as an alternative on the right wing.
Some have called for Luke Shaw to be included given the consistent form and fitness he has shown at Manchester United, but since his last cap came in the final of Euro 2024, a return now feels unlikely. He, too, is expected to be left out when the squad is announced on Friday.
Cole Palmer has been excluded by Thomas Tuchel as well, as he struggled throughout the 2025/26 season while reportedly playing at less than full fitness.
England players to watch at World Cup
If England are to challenge for the trophy, they will need Harry Kane to maintain his goal-scoring form from club level this season. Kane scored a remarkable 58 goals in 50 games for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in all competitions.
Behind him, Jude Bellingham comes into these finals with something a point to prove after a difficult personal and collective season at Real Madrid in which consistent form and fitness have eluded him. Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers has been outstanding throughout 2025/26 and will lay a legitimate claim to Bellingham's place in the starting XI.
Declan Rice has driven Arsenal's Premier League title victory and will unquestionably be a vital component of a successful summer for England, while Elliot Anderson alongside him has the makings of a dominant midfield.
MORE:All you need to know about England's schedule at the 2026 World Cup
Who is England coach at the World Cup?
Tuchel took over as England head coach in January 2025 after Gareth Southgate stepped down in the wake of the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain.
The German is the third foreigner to be given the Three Lions job, but unlike predecessors Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello, he came into the role with a good knowledge of English football's quirks and expectations after his largely successful time at Chelsea.
A Champions League winner with the Blues, Tuchel was selected as someone with the experience of delivering in major tournaments, with his somewhat volatile nature, which has led to confrontations with senior management at various clubs, considered an acceptable risk.
Despite guiding England through qualification with minimal fuss, he is under pressure ahead of these finals. England snatched a draw at home to Uruguay before losing to Japan in their March friendlies, and both performances were greeted with boos by the Wembley crowd.
Can England replace players on World Cup roster?
Once the final roster is official, participating teams at the World Cup could only make changes before the first game of the tournament, and only in the case of extraordinary circumstances.
According to the official tournament rules (page 32), "a player listed on the final list may only be replaced in the event of serious injury or illness up until 24 hours before the start of his team's first match."
England World Cup history
England have qualified for every World Cup since 1994, the last time the tournament was held on U.S. soil. They had a perfect record of eight wins from eight to secure a place at the 2026 finals.
It is now 60 years since the Three Lions won their first and only World Cup on home turf. Southgate got them close to success, reaching the semifinals in 2018 and managing two consecutive European Championship runner-up finishes. Four years ago, they lost in the quarterfinals to defending champions France.
There is a desperation for them to go all the way at long last, and with Tuchel in charge — a man who has won major trophies with Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich — expectation levels are high.
- Current FIFA World Ranking: 4 (April 2026)
- World Cup titles: 1
- World Cup appearances (last): 16 (Qatar 2022)
- How England qualified, W-L-D: UEFA Group K winners, 8-0-0
- World Cup record:
- Games: 74 GP (32 W, 22 D, 20 L)
- Goal differential: +36(104 GS, 68 GA)
England World Cup schedule
England, as a Pot 1 team, were drawn into Group L. Their competitors in the group will be Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.
TeamPTSGPWLDGFGAGDEngland00000000Croatia00000000Ghana00000000Panama00000000Group L fixtures
DateTime (ET)MatchLocationWed, Jun. 174 p.m.England vs. CroatiaAT&T Stadium, ArlingtonWed, Jun. 177 p.m.Ghana vs. PanamaBMO Field, TorontoTue, Jun. 234 p.m.England vs. GhanaGillette Stadium, FoxboroughTue, Jun. 237 p.m.Panama vs. CroatiaBMO Field, TorontoSat, Jun. 275 p.m.Panama vs. EnglandMetLife Stadium, New York/NJSat, Jun. 275 p.m.Croatia vs. GhanaLincoln Financial Field, PhiladelphiaMORE WORLD CUP NEWS: