England Squad Announced for 2026 World Cup
Thomas Tuchel has named his 26-man England squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with notable omissions including Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.
The squad will depart for a pre-tournament camp in Florida on June 1. Warm-up matches against New Zealand (June 6) and Costa Rica (June 10) precede their Group L campaign against Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.
Major Omissions
Phil Foden (Manchester City) and Cole Palmer (Chelsea) are the most high-profile absentees. Manchester City correspondent Sam Lee reports that Foden's limited game time and poor form this calendar year were contributing factors. Tuchel gave Foden opportunities during the last international break without satisfactory performance.
Cole Palmer's exclusion follows a dip in form amid a lingering groin injury and club instability. Chelsea correspondent Liam Twomey notes Palmer scored five non-penalty goals and three assists since the FIFA Club World Cup final.
Harry Maguire confirmed his omission on social media, stating he was "shocked and gutted." Manchester United correspondent Mark Critchley reported that Maguire expressed a desire to attend what he considered his likely last World Cup. Maguire's family criticized the decision on social media.
Other notable absentees include Luke Shaw—who has started 38 Premier League matches this season—Levi Colwill, Morgan Gibbs-White, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and James Garner.
Squad Composition
Goalkeepers
Player Club Notes Jordan Pickford Everton Consistently high performer; prevented 4 goals above expectation this season Dean Henderson Crystal Palace 7.8 non-penalty goals prevented since 2023-24; 61% of passes this season long James Trafford Manchester City Backup role expected; only 3 league starts this seasonDefenders
Player Club Notes Ezri Konsa Aston Villa Over 3,000 Premier League minutes; 95.5% passing accuracy (highest in division) Nico O'Reilly Manchester City Versatile midfielder/left-back; 9 goals, 6 assists this season Marc Guehi Manchester City England's first-choice center-back; passing, ball-carrying, set-piece threat John Stones Manchester City Only 11% of possible minutes due to injuries; composed in possession Dan Burn Newcastle United Defensive versatility at center-back or left-back; aerial presence Djed Spence Tottenham Hotspur Ball-carrying, overlapping runs, one-v-one defending; both full-back positions Tino Livramento Newcastle United Energetic, athletic full-back for either flank Reece James Chelsea Primary right-back; also played central midfield; speed, crossing, set-pieces Jarell Quansah Bayer Leverkusen Regular starter; composed, versatile center-back/right-backMidfielders
Player Club Notes Elliot Anderson Nottingham Forest Recent debutant; tenacious No. 8 expected to start alongside Rice Kobbie Mainoo Manchester United Regained fitness and form; drifts into left half-space, passes between lines Jude Bellingham Real Madrid Athleticism, duel-winning, box-to-box runs, goal-scoring ability Jordan Henderson Brentford England's most experienced player; solid and reliable Declan Rice Arsenal Excels at carrying through midfield; played 94% of Arsenal's minutes Morgan Rogers Aston Villa Favored by Tuchel in No. 10 role; multi-positionalForwards
Player Club Notes Bukayo Saka Arsenal Defensively diligent winger; cuts inside from the right Eberechi Eze Arsenal Creative attacker; dribbling, passing, shooting from distance Marcus Rashford Barcelona 23 goal contributions this season; explosive pace Noni Madueke Arsenal Dribbler averaging 6 take-ons per 90; both wings Anthony Gordon Newcastle United Relentless energy, pressing, dribbling; 10 Champions League goals Harry Kane Bayern Munich England's all-time top scorer; 36 league goals this season Ollie Watkins Aston Villa Speed in behind; double figures in each of last six seasons Ivan Toney Al-Ahli Selected despite Saudi Pro League; penalty record (59/63) cited as keyKey Squad Characteristics
Experience split: Six players have over 50 caps, while 10 players have 10 or fewer caps. Notably, no player has between 30 and 40 caps.
Club representation: Arsenal and Manchester City each contribute four players. Aston Villa and Newcastle United each contribute three.
Minutes disparity: Jordan Pickford, Marc Guehi, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers, and Harry Kane have played substantial minutes this season, while John Stones and James Trafford have combined for just 631 league minutes.
Tournament Schedule
Event Date Depart for U.S. June 1 Pre-tournament camp Florida vs New Zealand (warm-up) June 6 vs Costa Rica (warm-up) June 10 vs Croatia (Group L) June 17 vs Ghana (Group L) June 23 vs Panama (Group L) June 26The final 26-man squad is scheduled to be officially announced on Friday.