The countdown to the 2026 World Cup is officially on, and England are heading into this summer's tournament with high hopes. The Three Lions will travel to Canada, Mexico, and the USA as one of the top contenders, and new manager Thomas Tuchel is already facing some tough selection decisions.
Tuchel has a busy schedule ahead. He must submit England's provisional squad on Monday, May 11th, with FIFA allowing a maximum of 55 players on that initial list. But the real excitement comes later this month when he'll trim it down to the final 26-man squad. The deadline for that final selection is Saturday, May 30th, but England have confirmed the official announcement will come earlier, on Friday, May 22nd, with the first release via the official England app.
England's World Cup campaign kicks off on June 17th against Croatia, followed by group stage matches against Ghana and Panama in Group L. To prepare, Tuchel can also bring an additional nine players to the United States for training camp, serving as potential injury replacements before the opening fixture.
During March's international break, Tuchel already experimented with a larger squad, recalling familiar faces like Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Maguire, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Everton midfielder James Garner also earned his first senior cap, adding depth to an already talented pool.
Here's a look at the squad from those March fixtures, giving fans a glimpse of who might make the final cut:
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle United), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion).
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan).
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal).
With so much talent to choose from, Tuchel's final squad announcement on May 22nd is sure to be one of the most anticipated moments of the pre-tournament build-up. Stay tuned—and get ready to support the Three Lions in style.