Predicting England’s Starting 11 For the 2026 World Cup
Callum Bishop
52 – 66 minutes
Fifty-eight years of hurt. Another final ending in heartbreak. That’s how England’s most recent tournament finished after the crushing 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final. After the penalty shootout loss to Italy three years prior, it felt as though the stage was set for the Three Lions to finally have their day in the sun. Alas, it was not meant to be.
As much as the initial feeling for England and their fans would’ve been one of bitter disappointment, there were still plenty of positives to take away from Euro 2024. As many as nine new internationals appeared in their first tournament, with many having incredibly bright futures in the national setup. It means that there could be some very promising times ahead for the Three Lions to look forward to, with the next stop being the 2026 World Cup in North America.
With so many new stars bursting onto the scene since the last World Cup, the possibilities as to who could nail down a starting spot are endless. Players that fans are yet to be aware of could make their presence known in time for a call-up. Or the same old faces could be present yet again. With Thomas Tuchel now at the helm, there could be changes aplenty by the time the German leads the Three Lions out as they look to make it 60 years worth the wait.
Thomas Tuchel and an England background.
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Goalkeeper
Jordan Pickford
Jordan Pickford saved Manuel Akanji’s penalty
Starting the XI from the back is Jordan Pickford, a man who has held down the number one jersey with relative ease since his debut clean sheet in the 0-0 draw with Germany back in November 2017. Since then, he has barely put a foot wrong for his country, arguably playing his best football whilst in England’s colours. The boy from Sunderland was superb in his first major tournament, playing a key role in the Three Lions’ 2018 World Cup campaign, helping his side beat Colombia 4–3 on penalties to claim the nation’s first World Cup penalty shoot-out victory and a place in the quarter-final – a match in which he then kept his first clean sheet of the tournament and was named man of the match.
He has gone from strength to strength since then, becoming England’s most capped shot-stopper in major tournaments, having started in every single game since the campaign in Russia. The Everton number one will still be in his prime when 2026 comes around, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t be starting.
Other candidates are the likes of Dean Henderson and Nick Pope look set to act as back-up, while Aaron Ramsdale’s move to Southampton hasn’t reignited his career as he may have hoped. James Trafford is an up-and-coming prospect who could be fancied by 2026, after playing a pivotal role in England’s victory at the under-21 European Championships in the summer of 2023, being the first keeper ever to not concede a single goal in the entire tournament – but he may have to continue to wait for his shot at replacing Pickford.
Right-Back
Reece James
Reece James of England U21
Right-back is a position where the Three Lions have been spoilt for choice in Southgate’s reign, with a group of talented players all fighting for the same position. Kyle Walker has been the more consistent choice to fill the spot in recent years, with Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier often deputising, but the former’s form has fallen off a cliff since Euro 2024 while the latter has retired from the international stage.
That leaves both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Chelsea’s Reece James to battle it out for the starting spot after what will most likely be the previous pair’s final tournament. The Liverpool man was included in the Euro 2024 squad, but he started the first two games as a midfielder before being dropped. He also missed out on Tuchel’s first squad through injury, which left the door open for his rival to capitalise.
Capitalise he did. A goal in his first start in England colours since 2022 left many fans calling for Tuchel to start James next summer, and it is clear the German, who worked with the defender previously at Chelsea, has no issue doing so. Also, don’t rule out Ben White, who more than deserves a place in this team but was held back by the clear issues he has with the backroom staff at St George’s Park during Southgate’s tenure.
England boss Thomas Tuchel
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Centre-Back
John Stones
Marc Guehi and John Stones in action for England
Moving into the centre of defence we have John Stones, a Rolls-Royce of a defender who slots into this position with ease. Having already made 83 appearances in white, Stones will be one of the most experienced players in this XI, having already featured at both the 2018 and the 2022 World Cups. He was handed even more responsibility at Euro 2024 as his normal partner, Harry Maguire, missed out through injury.
The 2026 competition will most likely be his last World Cup as he will be 32 by the time the tournament comes around, but his defensive solidity, turn of foot, and ball-playing brilliance from the back is what earns him his place in this side.
Since his £47.5 million move from Everton in 2016, making him the world’s second most expensive defender in history, the boy from Barnsley has never looked back. Despite his struggles in his first two seasons in sky blue, with injuries and poor performances hampering his chances of becoming a first-team regular, Stones has kicked on since, becoming a regular in Pep Guardiola’s side – when he can stay fit that is. His performances at the centre of defence earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2020/21 Premier League season – before a genius shift into midfield for the 2022/23 season saw the Englishman play a pivotal role in Citizens winning a historic treble and their maiden Champions League trophy, being named in the Champions League team of the tournament.
Centre-Back
Marc Guehi
England defender Marc Guehi applauding supporters
Despite making it to the final last summer, England’s performances along the way were not particularly strong. One player who could hold his head high, though, was Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi. The 24-year-old was thrust into the starting XI as soon as it was made clear Maguire wasn’t going to be fit to feature, but you would never have guessed it, seeing how composed the defender looked every time he was on the pitch.
Guehi didn’t put a foot wrong all summer and staked his claim for a mandatory place in the starting XI moving forward. Many people questioned the depth that the Three Lions had at centre-back, but with the Eagles star’s display, along with the presence of both Ezri Konsa and Jarrad Branthwaite, it seems as though the void of Maguire and Stones may easily be filled in years to come.
Left-Back
Myles Lewis-Skelly
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Immediately after the conclusion of Euro 2024, no one would’ve been singing for Myles Lewis-Skelly to be included in the World Cup squad. That is a testament to how quickly the footballing landscape can change. The teenager only broke into the Arsenal first team during the 2024/25 season, but started in both of Tuchel’s opening games and even scored on his debut against Albania.
His ability to drift inside and also penetrate in behind the opposition defence was pleasing on the eye and solidified his credentials moving forward in what was a position of weakness for England. When fit, Luke Shaw is the natural first choice, but he has played just three times since the Euro 2024 final. Ben Chilwell looks nowhere near a place in the team, Rico Lewis hasn’t set the world alight when given the opportunity, and Tino Livramento is more suited to the opposite flank. The door is wide open for Lewis-Skelly to nail down that position for years to come.
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Centre-Midfield
Declan Rice
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Moving into the base of midfield, Declan Rice has already reached more than a half century of caps for his country since making his debut in 2019 and is bound to make a lot more in the years to come. The Arsenal man went into Euro 2024 as one of the best midfielders on the planet, and by the time we reach 2026, he will still only be 27 years old and entering the prime years of his career.
Having already played at three major tournaments, the next World Cup will most likely be his fourth for the Three Lions, if he manages to steer clear of injuries. A solid ball carrier with sublime athleticism and strong defensive capabilities, it’s a no-brainer that Rice will make this team and could even become a future captain. However, as has been the case already, who partners him is an even tougher call.
Centre-Midfield
Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham in action for England
Jude Bellingham. That’s quite simply all that needs to be said for this next pick, as his partnership with Declan Rice is all but assured for 2026. At just 21-years-old, it feels strange to say that Bellingham might just be the best all-round midfielder in the world, but he probably is just that. His boyhood club – Birmingham City – retiring his shirt number when he left for Borussia Dortmund in July 2020 felt a little overdramatic at the time, but it certainly doesn’t now, as the boy from Stourbridge is a sensation over in Spain.
Achieving his dream move to Real Madrid at the age of just 20, Los Blancos brought him to the Bernabeu for over 100 million euros, where he has since gone on to win the Champions League and La Liga titles. He also scored twice during England’s 2024 run, including one of the greatest ever bicycle kicks in football history. Emotions got the better of him after the final defeat, but he is one player fans know has the mentality to come back even stronger.
What might be a shock, though, is that we have opted to drop Bellingham into the midfield pivot instead of the likes of Curtis Jones and Kobbie Mainoo, even though he has started both of Tuchel’s games as a number 10. However, when the German has a fully fit selection of players to choose from, he may feel that Bellingham has the flexibility to drop deeper to accommodate other stars.
A custom image of Pedri, Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala
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Attacking-Midfield
Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer
It’s not Phil Foden at the 10. It’s Cole Palmer. The Chelsea star scored the goal that bought Southgate’s men level in the Euros final against Spain and may were left frustrated that he played such a minor role in the tournament, especially when other players were not playing so well in the more advanced areas.
The attacking midfielder was named as the England Player of the Year for the 2023/24 season because of just how mesmerising he was after making the move to Stamford Bridge, and There is no doubt Tuchel will relish working with a talent like him. As to why he would get the nod over Phil Foden, who practically kept him out of the Manchester City team? The answer is simple: Palmer is fresh and doesn’t have the international hangover his former teammate seems to. Rather than trying to fix a problem that persists, why not start again and let another budding superstar shine bright?
Right-Winger
Bukayo Saka
Saka 2-1
Moving into the final third of the field and onto the attackers, the right side of the forward line is another position that at the moment looks pretty nailed down by one man. At the age of just 23, Bukayo Saka is already one of the first names on the team sheet for his club, Arsenal, and is on his way to being so for his country too, having earned 40 caps for his country since his debut in October 2020. Saka joins his club-mate Rice and Bellingham in the group of youngsters who have already played in three major tournaments for England at such a young age and will most likely be playing in his fourth at the age of just 24 by the time the 2026 tournament comes around.
Saka’s pace and directness strike fear into any defender he faces down the right-hand side, with his ability to cut inside, go down the outside, shoot, cross, or pass making him a jack of all trades and one of the best wingers around. Whilst the penalty miss at Euro 2020 will never leave him, the starboy has done magnificently to put it behind him. He faced stiff competition from the likes of Cole Palmer and Jarrod Bowen at Euro 2024, but Southgate stuck with his man who grew as the tournament went on. He has likely cemented his place in the team, not just for 2026, but for the rest of the decade at least.
Left-Winger
Anthony Gordon
Anthony Gordon during England’s draw with Slovenia at Euro 2024
Tuchel has spoken about wanting pace either side of his number nine, which appears to rule out Phil Foden taking on the role he occupied during Euro 2024 on the left-hand side. For most fans, this wouldn’t be too much of a concern, considering Foden was incredibly lacklustre when forced to hold the width and was prohibited from drifting inside, where he is a bigger threat.
The new manager’s demands offered the chance for Marcus Rashford to make his international return for the first time in 12 months, starting both games but failing to do much to impress, even being singled out following the win over Albania. He could yet improve his form, but based on the criteria needed to play out wide and recent performances for the Three Lions, the safest bet goes to a certain Magpie.
With Kane dropping deep constantly last summer, fans were left baffled as to why Southgate never gave Anthony Gordon a chance on the left flank so that he could use his blistering pace to run in behind the striker. There have already been signs that Tuchel wants players who will try and get in behind the opposition defenders, so why not let Gordon show what he is capable of in a role where he would no doubt flourish?
Theo Walcott (England), Gareth Bale (Wales), George Best (Man Utd) – with Union Jack background
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Striker
Harry Kane
Harry Kane
If we’re being completely honest, Harry Kane did not look like himself at Euro 2024. The legendary number nine was clearly unfit and not firing on all cylinders. Combine that with his need to get on the ball despite not having any willing runners exploiting the space he left, it wasn’t the right formula for Southgate.
It led some to believe that the England skipper could be out of favour by 2026. However, having called out some of his teammates for not showing the same dedication to playing for their country anymore, Kane continued to be an ever-present figure post-last summer and scored in the opening two games under his former Bayern Munich manager.
Ollie Watkins would likely be next in line, while Liam Delap is potentially an option for the future. However, when it comes to what to expect over the next 18 months, it is that Kane will be safe in his role, and it’s hard to argue with that.
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