England Starting XI and Squad Projection for the 2026 World Cup

Despite some of the best players in football history suiting up for England, an international title has been out of the national team's grasp since a World Cup win in 1966.

But after becoming the first European team to confirm its presence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States during the qualification stages, securing eight wins from eight games and conceding no goals in the process, the Three Lions are rightly among the favorites to win the competition.

It took manager Thomas Tuchel a little while to get settled, but now he has the team ticking over nicely, favoring a selection approach that rewards form rather than reputation.

But the German will have selection headaches before the team arrives in North America. Will Jude Bellingham make the squad after being sidelined with a hamstring injury? Is Trent Alexander-Arnold a contender to be the starting right back after an injury-plagued season at Real Madrid?

Ahead, we've picked the possible starting XI, in a 4-2-3-1 formation, for England's World Cup campaign, as well as a squad of 26.

Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford (Everton)

Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images

Perhaps the easiest name to pick for Tuchel is Jordan Pickford, with the Everton goalkeeper the undisputed England No. 1 since the summer of 2018, picking up 81 caps in the process.

While he has had a tendency to lose concentration, he's become more reliable in recent years, avoiding the complacency that kept a question mark above his head and national team managers casting glances at possible upgrades.

Still, the 31-year-old has benefited from having no viable competition for the gloves. Crystal Palace's Dean Henderson has perhaps emerged as his closest challenger, but he lacks the experience of the Toffees' stopper. 

Meanwhile, Nick Pope's injury record and poor footwork and James Trafford's naivety mean Pickford will be confident of keeping his spot when the summer comes around.

Right Back: Reece James (Chelsea)

Jack Thomas - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

The right-back slot has not had a nailed-on name since Kyle Walker's heyday, and his successor is still not entirely clear.

It seemed Trent Alexander-Arnold would claim the spot, but his tendency to neglect his defensive duties and his slightly awkward positional fit don't suit international football, where personnel and tactics change regularly.  

Reece James should be the man to fill the role, but his injury problems mean he's unreliable, and he has often played a midfield berth for Chelsea. 

But Tuchel definitely likes him, having started five of the German's 10 games in charge. His familiarity with the 26-year-old from their time together at Stamford Bridge will likely see James take up the spot as long as he is fit.

If not, then Djed Spence or Tino Livramento could be drafted in, even if Alexander-Arnold starts to show his worth at Real Madrid. 

Center Back: Marc Guehi (Manchester City)

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

The defense in general is tough to predict, but one of the surer names for selection is Marc Guehi. 

The 25-year-old has steadily become the Three Lions' most reliable option at center-back, although Tuchel has been experimenting with different players in the heart of defense.

Guehi was the preferred pick of previous England manager Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024, starting every game but one—and that was only because of suspension.

He's continued to feature regularly in the international setup and now has 50 caps to his name. After a big move to Manchester City, he's now playing at a higher level and will soon gain Champions League experience, enhancing his case for England selection.

Center Back: Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa)

Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images

Guehi's partner is a trickier call, with Dan Burn, Ezri Konsa, John Stones, and Jarell Quansah all potential options.

Newcastle United's Burn only got his first England cap at the start of 2025, but he has started three games for the Three Lions. His no-nonsense style, set-piece threat, and ability to cover the left-back spot mean he'll almost certainly be in the squad.

Meanwhile, Stones is barely getting any game time at Manchester City, and Bayer Leverkusen's Quansah still doesn't have the kind of experience that would be required for a starter at an international tournament.

Aston Villa's Konsa, though, has started seven of Tuchel's 10 games so far despite a rotating cast of characters, and the second center-back spot looks like his to lose.

Left Back: Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City)

Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

The left-back role doesn't have a clear favorite.

Tuchel has tried Djed Spence, Tino Livramento, Myles Lewis-Skelly, James and Nico O'Reilly in the position, but none have truly stood out as a preferred option.

Spence, Livramento and James are more often deployed at right-back, while Lewis-Skelly has started just one league game for Arsenal this season. 

However, the latter has been a preferred pick for Tuchel, starting five games under the German. Tellingly, though, Lewis-Skelly was left out of the squad in November, likely because of his lack of action at club level. 

Instead, O'Reilly was called up for those fixtures. The 20-year-old has started 20 Premier League games for Manchester City during the 2025-26 campaign, scoring twice and providing three assists. 

O'Reilly now has two starts for England, but with the tournament a little over six months away, he doesn't have a lot of time to make the position his own at international level. 

Dan Burn has started eight games at left-back for Newcastle this season, and he could be an option. However, it speaks volumes that the 6'6" defender hasn't been tested in the position by Tuchel despite the German chopping and changing in the position. 

For now, O'Reilly looks like he will line up at left-back in the summer, but that could change in a heartbeat. 

Center Midfield: Declan Rice (Arsenal)

Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

Tuchel has mainly favored a 4-2-3-1 formation while in charge of England, and any changes to that will likely be down to available personnel.

With that in mind, one of the two central midfield spots will be taken by Declan Rice, who continues to demonstrate near-world-class ability with Arsenal.

The 27-year-old has 70 England caps and has started nine of Tuchel's 10 games in charge. Much like his status with the Gunners, it seems like he's undroppable. 

Rice was a driving force behind England's march to the Euro 2024 final, and he was also a key player as the Three Lions reached the Euro 2020 final and the quarter-finals at the 2022 World Cup.

Experience, talent, and a stalwart for his club. Put Rice's name down in pen. 

Center Midfield: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest)

Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

Almost out of nowhere, Elliot Anderson looks crucial to England's chances of success in North America.

The Nottingham Forest midfielder provides the energy, tough tackling, and ball-recycling abilities to complement Rice's more dictatorial approach. 

The 23-year-old only got his first cap in September, but he performs like he has been integral to the national team's midfield for the better part of a decade.

He's started five out of his six games for England, completing all 90 minutes three times. 

Of course, England has seen false midfield coronations before, with Kalvin Phillips and Kobbie Mainoo both looking like the perfect partner for Rice before dropping off almost as quickly as they came to the fore.

Anderson, though, has a major tournament coming up quickly, so a serious decline in form between now and the summer doesn't look likely—even if that spark goes out soon after.

Attacking Midfielder: Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)

Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

The race for the spot behind the main striker is perhaps the most hotly contested, with Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze, Phil Foden and Morgan Gibbs-White all possible options. 

The relationship between Bellingham and Tuchel has been strained to say the least, and the 22-year-old's injury troubles have restricted him to just three of the German's five England camps. 

After picking up another hamstring injury, Bellingham won't be available for March's international fixtures, which gives him even less time to put his name back in Tuchel's good books.

Palmer, meanwhile, has had injury troubles of his own, making just 15 Premier League appearances for Chelsea this season. Under Liam Rosenior, the 23-year-old has five goals and one assist in five domestic matches, so he could yet make a late burst for the Three Lions' No. 10 slot.

Despite some recent improvement, Phil Foden still hasn't recaptured the magic that saw him win the 2023-24 Premier League Player of the Season award, and his place in November's England squad was his first since March 2025. 

Eze's Arsenal career began brightly but has tapered off somewhat. His positional versatility should make him a shoo-in for the squad, but a starting berth seems beyond him.

Rogers, though, is performing regularly and well for Aston Villa, with eight goals and five assists in league play.

He has started six of Tuchel's 10 games in charge, so he's arguably the pick until further notice. 

Right Wing: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

Despite a stop-start season because of injury, Bukayo Saka has still managed seven goals and seven assists in 32 games across all competitions for Arsenal.

Still, it's hard to deny that the 24-year-old is not quite at his peak. He's in a race against time to be available for March's international fixtures, but if he is fit and firing, he should strengthen his case for the starting spot on the right wing.

There is depth available to the Three Lions—Jarrod Bowen and Noni Madueke are more-than-capable options on the right, while any of the players battling for the No. 10 role are potential possibilities—but it's Saka who the manager and fans will truly want.

Left Wing: Marcus Rashford (Barcelona)

Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images

Tuchel has another tough call on the left wing, with plenty of talent available but only one spot to fill. 

So far, he has mostly relied on Anthony Gordon as his starting option, although Marcus Rashford, Noni Madueke and Eze have all appeared in the position.

Gordon has been a regular attacking threat, but there are still some concerns about his end product. Madueke, meanwhile, was laid low with injury during October and November, and he's not a regular name on Arsenal's teamsheet.

Rashford, though, is steadily rejuvenating his career with Barcelona after a tough time with Manchester United, scoring 10 and assisting 13 across 34 appearances in all competitions.

You can't ignore that kind of output while playing for one of the best clubs on the planet. If Rashford keeps that kind of form up, he can take a firm grip on the left-wing spot. 

Forward: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

Alex Pantling/Getty Images

There is no question of who gets the nod up front for England's opening game.

National team captain Harry Kane has 112 caps, good for fifth on the Three Lions' all-time appearance list. Meanwhile, his 78 goals are an England record.

Tuchel doesn't rely on reputation for his selection choices, though. Thankfully, the 32-year-old is on fire for Bayern Munich, too.

In 34 games for the German champions in all competitions in 2025-26, he has 39 goals and five assists.

Under Tuchel's management, he has also scored nine in nine games for the Three Lions.

If England has any chance of winning the World Cup, Kane's goals will be crucial. He has been criticized for his lack of movement, but there aren't many other players you would bet your house on to score when given the chance.

Complete Squad Projection

Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images

GK: Jordan Pickford(Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Nick Pope (Newcastle United)

DEF: Reece James (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), Jarrell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid)

MID: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)

FWD: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Marcus Rashford (FC Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United)