Thomas Tuchel set to reveal England’s 2026 World Cup squad on June 2
As the anticipation grows, Thomas Tuchel is scheduled to announce his official 26-man England squad for the 2026 World Cup on June 2. Fans are eager to see who will make the cut this year.
We are taking a speculative look at the potential squad, focusing on players Tuchel is likely to include, rather than our personal choices.
Jordan Pickford
Jordan Pickford has been England’s number one for eight years now. We don’t see any reason for this to change – he’s enjoyed an excellent season with Everton in the Premier League.
While he can be erratic at times, his superhuman reflexes and brave shot-stopping more than make up for it.
Dean Henderson
Dean Henderson is unfortunate – were it not for Pickford, we’re sure that the former Manchester United man would have had a lengthy stint as England goalkeeper. As things stand, he is a very capable backup option.
Henderson’s greatest strength is in his shot-stopping, but he has also learned how to read the game with much more fluency during his time with Crystal Palace.
James Trafford
As England’s third goalkeeper, James Trafford probably won’t feature at the World Cup, but it should be a great learning experience for him nonetheless.
At just 23 years of age, Trafford will probably be England’s first-choice ‘keeper when Pickford and Henderson have retired – as such, he needs to be bedded in as much as possible.
Reece James
Chelsea have endured a miserable campaign, especially in the latter half of the season, but Reece James has been a consistently strong performer throughout.
A complete full-back, James has developed into an excellent captain at Chelsea. Technically gifted and mentally resilient, one would imagine he’ll be one of the first names on Tuchel’s teamsheet.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Forget all the doom and gloom surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold – with Tino Livramento injured, the former Liverpool/” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Liverpool man is an obvious pick to replace him.
He has struggled at Real Madrid this season, but there simply aren’t any superior options. Furthermore, let’s not discount Alexander-Arnold’s key strengths – he can create chances from nothing with his peerless passing ability.
Ben White
Ben White was unofficially exiled from the England squad during the Gareth Southgate era, but Tuchel has made an effort to re-embed him in the national squad.
His commitment has been questioned, but from a technical standpoint, White is a great option to have. He can play in two different positions – such adaptability can be crucial at international tournaments. Given his ability on the ball, he can also probably fill in as an auxiliary midfielder if needed.
Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire has had his fair share of criticism over the years, but he still maintains his spot in the England squad. Imperious in the air, he can always be called upon to help his team withstand heavy pressure.
There aren’t many players in the world with superior aerial ability at the moment – from set-pieces, Maguire is absolutely lethal.
Ezri Konsa
Ezri Konsa has shown major signs of improvement this season. A brave, tenacious defender, he is certainly worthy of a spot in Tuchel’s squad.
The Aston Villa man has been a constant presence in their backline throughout the season. They’ve had their ebbs and flows, but Konsa has been consistently excellent.
Marc Guehi
Marc Guehi is England’s flagship defender at the moment. A wonderful player with the ball at his feet and a fearsome presence when defending, the Manchester City man can do it all.
We’d be very surprised to see Guehi left out of the starting XI – he is one of the players that Tuchel will build his squad around.
John Stones
A firmly established member of the old guard, some may contest John Stones’ inclusion in the squad. He has only made seven Premier League appearances this season – the truth is, England aren’t blessed with quality options at centre-back.
Even still, Stones will be a solid backup option for the Three Lions. A few years ago, Stones was amongst the best defenders in the world – an experienced pro, this will be his third World Cup if he is taken.
Nico O’Reilly
Is Nico O’Reilly the best left-back in the world right now? We certainly think so. Expect him to start for England at the World Cup – he has enjoyed a phenomenal season at Manchester City.
A solid defender with brilliant technical ability and an ever-evolving eye for goal, O’Reilly has some fantastic attributes to his game – it is hard to believe that he is only 21 years of age.
Lewis Hall
Lewis Hall will be a brilliant understudy to O’Reilly at the World Cup. He can’t match the Sky Blues’ defensive diamond, but he’s a fantastic player in his own right.
Notably, he contained Lamine Yamal during Newcastle United’s Champions League clash with Barcelona/” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Barcelona – if he can keep Yamal quiet, he can deal with anyone.
Declan Rice
Declan Rice will be England’s most important player at the World Cup this year. Currently, he is arguably the best central midfielder in the world.
He can do everything – his passing, defending and work rate are all outstanding. To leave him out would be a travesty – England fans must remain hopeful that he can stay fit.
Elliot Anderson
Elliot Anderson is the ideal backup to Rice. In many ways, he is a very similar player to the Arsenal man, possessing a like-for-like skillset – he is, however, a notch below Rice’s calibre.
With that being said, he certainly merits his place in the squad – he has been a key player for Nottingham Forest amid a turbulent campaign.
Jordan Henderson
Some won’t like to see Jordan Henderson’s name on the squad sheet, but we’d urge them to give the veteran the credit he is due.
Henderson has quietly led an excellent campaign at Brentford this season. Marshalling their midfield with authority, his wealth of experience could be vital at the World Cup.
Kobbie Mainoo
Kobbie Mainoo, on the other hand, is amongst the youngest players in the squad at just 21 years of age. Nevertheless, his performances for Manchester United – at least, under Michael Carrick – have been highly impressive this season.
His passing and his ability on the ball are both magical – additionally, his eye for goal is becoming more and more acute with each passing game.
Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham is England’s top superstar – but is he the Three Lions’ best player? At the moment, he’d have to say no, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t worthy of a spot in the starting XI.
There are few players in the world who can match Bellingham for raw ability. A real X-factor of a player, he can always be called upon to steer his team out of a dead end.
James Garner
Everton’s James Garner has been brilliant this season. He has turned into a complete midfielder under David Moyes, being a solid defender and a precise passer of the ball – furthermore, he’s also very energetic and never shirks his duties on the pitch.
While he may not be included in the starting XI, he is more than worthy of a spot in the squad – he can fulfil any role in central midfield.
Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer has seemingly regressed this season. Once routinely named amongst the best players in the Premier League, he has become a bit of an afterthought over the last few months.
This aside, we would be surprised if Tuchel opted to leave him out. He is no longer one of England’s star men, but he will make it into the squad on pedigree alone.
Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka, like Pickford, Rice and Guehi, is pretty much guaranteed to be in England’s XI at the 2026 World Cup – when his stats are examined, it’s easy to see why.
He has scored seven goals and has notched up five assists from the wing in the Premier League this season – furthermore, he is starting to pick up a head of steam at just the right time.
Marcus Rashford
After a nightmare season at Manchester United, Marcus Rashford has rejuvenated his reputation following a successful campaign at Barcelona.
With eight goals and seven assists in Spain’s top division, as well as five goals in the Champions League, one would expect Rashford to be in England’s starting XI at the World Cup.
Morgan Rogers
Morgan Rogers has been Aston Villa’s talisman this season. A brilliant, adaptable attacking player, he brings a wonderful blend of creativity and natural goalscoring ability.
He has scored nine goals and has racked up six assists in the Premier League this season – on top of this, Tuchel appears to be a big fan of his.
Jarrod Bowen
The 2025/26 season has been a depressing one for West Ham United fans, but Jarrod Bowen has always been on hand to put forth an admirable shift for the Hammers.
They may well be relegated, but Bowen has stood out nonetheless. It seems odd to include a player who could be in the Championship next season, but Bowen’s flexibility and excellent finishing ability land him a spot in the squad.
Ollie Watkins
This has not been Ollie Watkins’ best campaign, but we still think he deserves to be called England’s second-best striker.
After a rough start to the season that saw him score just one goal in 13 league games, he is now starting to find the back of the net – he has scored 11 times since then in the Premier League.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
If Watkins is England’s second-best striker, then Dominic Calvert-Lewin can consider himself a respectable third choice.
His finishing has been called into question on several occasions, but his work rate and physicality can’t be faulted – he is a nightmare for defenders to play against.
Harry Kane
At 32 years of age, this could be Harry Kane’s last World Cup – thankfully, he is in the form of his life at Bayern Munich this season.
Kane has scored a staggering 33 goals in 30 Bundesliga games for the Bavarian giants. Many view him as the best striker in the world, but can he lead England to glory at the World Cup?