England's World Cup 2026 squad list: Jude Bellingham is no longer in contention for a place in Thomas Tuchel's tournament squad, while the injured Cole Palmer is at risk of dropping down the rankings.

 England's World Cup 2026 squad list: Jude Bellingham is no longer in contention for a place in Thomas Tuchel's tournament squad, while the injured Cole Palmer is at risk of dropping down the rankings.

Eight matches into the Thomas Tuchel era, we're trying to understand what his England squad might look like for the 2026 World Cup. The Three Lions have now secured their place at next summer's event in North America, meaning the race for a spot on the plane can officially begin. Only 26 spots are up for grabs, and more than twice that number are likely to make the squad.

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Tuchel took the bold step of making only one change due to injury for the October matches, opting to field the same players from September to foster a sense of cohesion and restore a club-like atmosphere to the England camp. With the World Cup just a few matches away, this could have a lasting impact on the players who missed out on his selection this season.

Competition for places is heating up, with several key players yet to make their mark under the German's guidance, and some fringe contenders delivering performances worthy of a spot in the tournament final. So, who will Tuchel include in the squad next summer? Whose places are secure, and whose are at risk?

Goal has examined the state of the England squad ahead of the World Cup, dividing the 62 players into nine categories based on their status in the manager's eyes:

Lock

To begin with, we must begin these categories with the assumption that any player Tuchel wants to include in the squad will be fit by the time he has to submit his final selection to FIFA (except for the final group stage, but that will become clear later).

Still, given the reliability of their performances for club and country, there are probably a few players who will definitely be in the squad. Captain and all-time top scorer Harry Kane is all set to go, despite occasional calls to drop him from the starting eleven in less important matches.

Arsenal has two representatives in this bracket; Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are two of the Three Lions' most consistent stars, even when injury-free. For years, critics have tried to remove Jordan Pickford from the England starting eleven, yet his stature in the team has only grown since his penalty-saving exploits at Euro 2020. We all love a crazy goalkeeper who sometimes talks to himself; until further notice, he's No. 1.

During our September update, there was one additional player, bringing the total number of 'locks' to five. So, who has fallen in our and Tuchel's assessments over the past month?

Almost Certain

In the next phase, we have players Tuchel clearly wants to use and will almost certainly rely on, but they aren't at that top level. This term is crucial in explaining why Jude Bellingham is placed in this category. The Real Madrid midfielder's place is not in danger, and Tuchel has acknowledged that he will make special allowances for players of this caliber, but he also offered a clear warning: "We're not collecting the most talented players, we're trying to build a team. Teams win trophies, not anyone else."

Morgan Rodgers' success in the number 10 role over the past two seasons has also complicated Bellingham's situation, as the Aston Villa player has shown more willingness to play a supporting role rather than be the main protagonist. This will certainly impact the injured Cole Palmer as well.

This was the first camp in which John Stones was able to prove his worth to Tuchel, as he addressed the Manchester City defender's numerous fitness issues last season, which had him contemplating retirement. He performed brilliantly in his two matches this month, proving what his head coach must have been thinking even before he was hired.

In place of Stones, Tuchel found a strong center-back pairing in Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa and Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi, who continue to perform well in conjunction with his more senior defenders. Arsenal's sensational Eberechi Eze has rarely played on the bench, but a superb goal against Latvia provided a timely reminder that he should be in the team, and he will be.

Tuchel has also included Chelsea captain Reece James, one of his longtime favorite right-backs. Again, this is a job where we're assuming all the players will be fully ready next summer, and if James is even 75 percent fully healthy, he'll be on that final team.

Potential Moves

We're still considering the players who, if their world doesn't fall apart, will be surprised if they don't receive a call with good news from Tuchel and his staff next June. However, these are still significant differences.

Kane's first-choice reserve player, Ollie Watkins, can't be considered on the same level as his senior counterpart, nor is backup goalkeeper Dean Henderson on Pickford's equal footing, but both should be in the squad.

Even before moving to Barcelona, ​​Marcus Rashford was a player Tuchel wanted to keep a close eye on since his first selection in March. After Rashford's impressive start to his previous loan spell at Villa, the boss said, "I was absolutely convinced we should sign him, get him into the team, and motivate him to maintain the same level so he doesn't revert to old habits."

Like Bellingham, Rashford has received warnings from Tuchel, as well as from Anthony Gordon, who kept him out of the squad. Rashford offered a word of caution: "There's no limit, but numbers don't equal potential. He needs to motivate himself to get involved. That means goals and assists. He knows that from me."

After making his mark in this category in the September internationals, Elliot Anderson already feels like England's strong midfielder, even though the country continues to demand a specific midfielder from Crystal Palace.

Upward Trend

Here we have names who are either in good form or whose performances or skills are noteworthy, which Tuchel is paying attention to. The most talked about name in this regard is Jed Spence, whose versatility in both full-back positions makes him particularly useful in selecting teams for international tournaments.

On the left-hand side of the defense, Miles Lewis-Skelly has played in both matches of this camp, although he lost his place in the Arsenal starting eleven to Riccardo Calafiori. Tuchel has publicly acknowledged this and acknowledged that this isn't an ideal situation ahead of the World Cup.

Notably, Noni Madueke was the only injured player Tuchel wanted to replace for the October internationals. The head coach suggested that he would have remained in the squad if he were fit. The interesting thing now is how Madueke fits in with club and country after Saka's return.

Tuchel also values ​​Jordan Henderson's experience, even though he isn't a guaranteed starting spot. Jarrod Bowen has similar credibility, having consistently been included in the squad and has worked tirelessly to revive West Ham's lackluster team from difficult times.

The Race for Places

In this fifth category, we have already selected 22 players. If the listed players are selected for the final squad, only four other spots will remain vacant. In short, this category is a spiritual "screaming bomb time" group, consisting of players who will have to go all out to have a chance at playing in the World Cup.

Two of the top contenders, Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold, have not yet been at their best in an England jersey, and now face the threat of being dropped altogether. Although Foden was overlooked just a year after winning the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, Tuchel had spoken publicly about Alexander-Arnold's exile before his injury last month: "I spoke to Trent. It was a difficult phone call, but I wanted him to hear it from me, which he appreciated, and he clearly stated that he's desperate and eager to come back and play for England. It's all there, but it's a competitive decision, and just to make the competition a little more exciting. First of all, I think Trent is a player who needs the trust and love of his manager and teammates, his club, his country, and the fans. He needs it."

It has long been desired that Adam Wharton be given complete freedom in the England midfield. Unfortunately for the Crystal Palace player, Tuchel's policy of playing rather than playing in October meant he missed out on a place in the squad, although the head coach claimed that Wharton Still 'deserving' of a spot in the team. Morgan Gibbs-White, the No. 8 or No. 10, appears less confident of his place with so many talented players in his role.

Despite being Tuchel's initial favorite, given the credentials of Stones, Konsa, and Guehi, we have to put Dan Burn in this category. However, the Newcastle veteran should still be confident of making his way into the No. 26 spot.

Then the battle for the final goalkeeper spot begins. Currently, Nick Pope holds the top spot, as the only other recently selected options are all starting players at club level. This could change if Aaron Ramsdale replaces him at Newcastle, while James Trafford's prospects are now bleak following Gianluigi Donnarumma's strong start at City.