England is one of football's traditional powerhouses, yet fortune has rarely favored them on the world stage. Their sole World Cup triumph came in 1966, and the decades since have brought a string of near-misses. They reached the semi-finals in 2018 before falling to Croatia despite an early lead, and in 2022 they exited at the quarter-final stage when Harry Kane's late penalty against France missed the target. Sixty years on from their only World Cup title, England will look to claim a second under German head coach Thomas Tuchel.
Harry Kane will captain the squad after a stellar season with Bayern Munich, where he won the Bundesliga and finished as the league's top scorer. He is joined in attack by Al-Ahli's Ivan Toney, rewarded for his strong form in the Saudi Pro League, and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins. Other key names include Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Declan Rice, and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
The bigger talking points concern who missed out: Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Harry Maguire, and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold have all been left at home. Palmer endured an underwhelming season hampered by early injuries, while Foden was squeezed out by stiff competition in his position. Tuchel acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, saying, "It has been a tough process to decide on the nomination, but I have full belief in this group of players. They all deserve their place." He added that international football ultimately comes down to chemistry, and that this squad has it.
England have been drawn in Group L alongside Croatia, Panama, and Ghana. They will begin their campaign on June 17 against Croatia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before facing Ghana six days later at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Their final group-stage match comes against Panama on June 27 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
England 2026 World Cup Squad:
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Al Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
