England’s 2026 World Cup squad has been announced with Thomas Tuchel making several controversial decisions to leave huge names at home
England’s 2026 World Cup squad has been announced with Thomas Tuchel making several controversial decisions.
The Three Lions’ 26-man squad that will travel to the US next month for the tournament in North America was confirmed on Friday morning after a number of contentious decisions emerged on Thursday evening.
Tuchel is set to take charge of his first international tournament and has already penned a two-year contract extensions, seeing him through until Euro 2028. However, many fans have been left wishing the German never put pen to paper after excluding the likes of Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Lewis Hall, Morgan Gibbs-White and Adam Wharton.
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Meanwhile, Tuchel has decided to ignore the backlash and name a squad including Dan Burn, Jarell Quansah, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jordan Henderson, Noni Madueke, Djed Spence and Ivan Toney.
England’s confirmed 26-man 2026 World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Manchester City)
Defenders: Reece James (Chelsea), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), John Stones (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur)
Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal)
Tuchel’s goalkeeper selection is the only position on the pitch without jeopardy. A case can certainly be made that the German has overlooked players for more undeserving selections in every area of the pitch.
Despite enjoying a superb second half of the season, 33-year-old Maguire had hoped to make the cut, despite Tuchel stating in March that he was effectively the sixth choice centre-back behind the likes of Dan Burn as well as Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa and John Stones.
Maguire released a statement, expressing: “I was confident I could have 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. I wish the players all the best.”
Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold has been overlooked by Tuchel for the fourth squad in succession after a stuttering season at Real Madrid. However, the inclusion of Spence, who has started just 22 league matches in a disastrous Spurs season, has been given the nod over the technically excellent Scouser and the brilliant in-form Hall.
Henderson will celebrate his 36th birthday on the day when England start their World Cup campaign against Croatia, having been selected over the likes of Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton despite last starting for Brentford in March.
Hot off a 17-goal season for Nottingham Forest, Gibbs-White is also a divisive exclusion, with Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze preferred, although he endured an inconsistent season in the Gunners title-winning team.
While the major news up front sees Ivan Toney handed a sensational World Cup call-up. The 30-year-old, who’s been out of the international scene for the past year, has netted an impressive 32 goals in 32 matches for Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League.
England will face New Zealand and Costa Rica in warm-up matches after arriving in the USA next month.
The Three Lions will begin their group stage campaign against Croatia on Wednesday, June 17 before facing Ghana and Panama on June 23 and 27, respectively.