World Cup 2026: Who Will Make the England Squad?
World Cup 2026: Who Will Make the England Squad?
The next FIFA World Cup will take place next summer in the USA, Mexico and Canada and begins on June 11th, 2026. It will be the 23rd staging of the competition, with games spread across 16 different cities.
This tournament will make history as the first to feature 48 teams, with an additional 16 teams included in the group stage of the competition. It will also be the first World Cup since 2002 to be hosted by more than one country.
At the time of writing, only 13 teams have secured their place at the tournament, including the three joint hosts. Nevertheless, England are expected to be part of the event and are on course to book their place under new boss Thomas Tuchel.
The German boss has plenty of time to settle on his World Cup squad, however, he will be keeping an eye on key players throughout the 2025-26 season as he starts to assemble his squad for next summer.
BEO Betting odds are showing that there is a 47.62% chance of Everton’s Jarrod Branthwaite being included in the England squad’s final list for the World Cup 2026 ::: Discover the latest Bet Entertainment Odds predictions for this market.
Likely Inclusions
There are several players who are almost certain to be included in the England squad, fitness permitting. Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Harry Kane and Jordan Pickford are almost guaranteed to be selected if they are fit and available, however, there are others who aren’t as assured and will need to prove they are capable of playing a significant role in 2026. Trent-Alexander Arnold is likely to catch the eye at the Bernabeu, whereas Eberechi Eze will provide some much-needed flair to the squad.
Other players such as Anthony Gordon, Morgan Rodgers and Reece James need to continue where they left off and stay fit to remain in consideration.
Members of the Under-21 Squad
In 2025, the Young Lions enjoyed a successful summer, managing to retain their Euros title by beating Germany. Many members of the squad are likely to graduate to the senior teams within the next 12 months and as a result, they have put themselves firmly in contention for selection.
LEADERBOARD
World Cup 2026 - Who Will be Included in the Final List of England Squad
| # | Bet Options | Chance to Win | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied Projected Winner Jude Belligham | 83.33% | ||
| Implied Projected Winner Cole Palmer | 83.33% | ||
| Implied Projected Winner Dean Henderson | 83.33% |
Harvey Elliott caught the eye and is one of the likely candidates to make the leap. Jonathon Rowe played a pivotal role, however, he is playing his football in France and may slip under the radar. Charlie Cresswell is another who may fall short as a consequence of not playing in the Premier League, however, he has been excellent in Ligue 1 and has been linked with a return to the UK.
Jack Hinshelwood is expected to play a bigger role for Brighton, Ethan Nwaneri should get a few more minutes for Arsenal and James McAtee may step up for Manchester City.
Other Potential Inclusions
Myles Lewis-Skelly had a breakthrough season and could easily feature if he can nail down a regular spot in the Arsenal XI. Conor Gallagher has done okay for Atletico whereas Dominic Solanke has a patchy fitness record. Neither are guaranteed a place in Tuchel’s squad. Adam Wharton has the potential to kick on, whereas Ben White is now back in consideration and with Arsenal having kept the most clean sheets during the 2024-25 season, he could be a worthy addition. Jarrod Branthwaite has signed a new contract with Everton and seems to be improving year-on-year. He should be able to stake a claim.
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Who is Likely to Miss Out?
Although he has dismissed the idea of international retirement, Kyle Walker may struggle to nail down a spot in the squad and he will need to hit the ground running for Burnley this season. Marcus Rashford’s uncertain future won’t make it easy for him to stake a claim for an inclusion. Both Lewis Dunk and Kieran Trippier are unlikely to feature whereas Ivan Toney’s move to Saudi Arabia might count him out.
