sports
On the plane or the sofa? How England’s 2026 World Cup squad is shaping up
Only half of the 26 places appear nailed-on and some players benefited from missing the Uruguay and Japan games
TL;DR
- Only half of the 26 places for the World Cup squad are considered secure.
- Jordan Pickford, Harry Kane, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Bukayo Saka, and Jude Bellingham are seen as likely starters.
- Marc Guéhi is emerging as a senior center-back, but questions remain about other defensive options.
- Reece James faces a race against time to recover from injury, with no clear alternative at right-back.
- Players like Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Dominic Solanke have had inconsistent auditions.
- The defensive situation is described as unconvincing, with competition for places among center-backs and full-backs.
- Several new faces have been assessed, including James Garner and Adam Wharton, with bold wildcard picks suggested.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ben White's selections and performances are questioned.
- Goalkeepers Aaron Ramsdale, Jason Steele, and Nick Pope appear reliant on injuries to others.
- Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Kobbie Mainoo may have fallen out of contention.
- A predicted squad lists goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards.