As the countdown to the 2026 World Cup enters its final 10 months, speculation over England’s 23-man squad is starting to heat up ahead of the tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico next summer. Thomas Tuchel has now had eight months at the helm, and the picture of life after Gareth Southgate is beginning to take a more defined shape.
The recent 5-0 demolition of Serbia has given England plenty to revel in, positioning the Three Lions as serious contenders to end a 60-year trophy drought when they head across the pond. Yet, a lacklustre 2-0 win over 174th-ranked Andorra, coupled by a 3-1 home defeat to Senegal, will no doubt have the pessimists sharpening their knives.
While it remains too early to predict the final squad with certainty, we’ve taken a deep dive into current form and Tuchel’s apparent preferences to produce a provisional lineup based on power rankings. Players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden possess the talent to make the plane but are currently grounded by patchy club form.
Goalkeepers
Jordan Pickford has been the one constant in England’s backline for nearly a decade, making his position - along with captain Harry Kane’s - perhaps the safest to call. His likely understudy is Dean Henderson, who has twice been a penalty shootout hero at Wembley in recent months, starring in Crystal Palace’s FA Cup and Community Shield triumphs.
The most recent third-choice goalkeeper has been James Trafford, following a standout season in the Championship with Burnley where he kept a record 30 clean sheets and conceded just 13 goals. However, with limited game time at Manchester City this season after the arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Trafford is expected to be usurped by Nick Pope.
Pope's performances behind a solid Newcastle defence should only help stake his claim to being in the squad after spending much of the previous campaign sidelined through injury.
England 2026 World Cup Squad Power Rankings - Goalkeepers
Player
Jordan Pickford
Dean Henderson
Nick Pope
Defenders
While John Stones hasn’t featured much for Manchester City or England since Tuchel's reign began in January, he remains one of the most composed defenders around. Even while some other high-profile names are missing due to injury or form, it’s hard to imagine anyone overlooking the 31-year-old, given his tournament experience - assuming he’s fit.
Marc Guehi is arguably England’s best defender right now, while Dan Burn’s imperious form for Newcastle - helping Eddie Howe’s side become one of the stingiest in the country - makes him a natural pick. Ezri Konsa offers versatility and consistency, and the same applies to Trevoh Chalobah, who can operate across the backline and has impressed for Chelsea ever since Levi Colwill’s injury increased his minutes, even if he remains in the one-cap club for now.
Tino Livramento has shown promise, but Myles Lewis-Skelly currently looks like England’s top left-back. On the right, the debate over Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier, and Reece James has largely settled on James, who has started all five of Tuchel’s World Cup qualifiers and shown a remarkable return to form, free from the injuries that once hampered him.
England 2026 World Cup Squad Power Rankings - Defenders
Player
Marc Guehi
John Stones
Dan Burn
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Tino Livramento
Reece James
Ezri Konsa
Trevoh Chalobah
Midfielders
Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham are among the best midfielders in the world right now, and each could easily stake a claim as the standout player in their respective leagues. With their differing qualities, Tuchel should have no trouble fielding both throughout next summer’s festival of football, and they are likely to turn many matches into battles won and lost in the engine room.
The challenge that often troubled Tuchel’s predecessor was identifying a third midfielder to complement the duo perfectly. Some options have been too attack-minded, leaving gaps in midfield, while others leaned overly cautious. Fortunately, players like Elliot Anderson - who won both man-of-the-match awards during the latest international break - and Adam Wharton give the current boss a wealth of reliable, hardworking options in the middle.
When creativity is required, Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White offers an attacking spark, having contributed to seven goals and eight assists in the Premier League last time out. Meanwhile, Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze, typically listed as forwards, can capably fill a number 10 role.
Elsewhere, Morgan Rogers and Phil Foden have the talent to force their way onto the plane if they hit a purple patch of form between now and June.
England 2026 World Cup Squad Power Rankings - Midfielders
Player
Declan Rice
Jude Bellingham
Elliot Anderson
Morgan Gibbs-White
Adam Wharton
Forwards
Harry Kane has scored 65 goals in as many Bundesliga appearances since joining Bayern Munich in 2023, and as England’s all-time leading scorer, it would take something spectacularly wrong for the 32-year-old to lose his place in Tuchel’s squad - particularly as he continues to wear the captain’s armband.
In almost any other era, Ollie Watkins would walk into the number nine role, with his prolific form at Aston Villa cementing him as one of the world’s best strikers in recent years. Jarrod Bowen isn’t a bad third option either, consistently pulling up trees for a struggling West Ham side. Clearly, goals are not a problem for Tuchel, with the three centre-forward options notching a combined 55 goals in their respective leagues in the 2024/25 campaign.
On the left wing, Tuchel has shown a fondness for pace, regularly starting Noni Madueke in recent outings. But with his Arsenal minutes tied closely to Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka, his spot is far from secure. Anthony Gordon, equally quick and relentless in the press, looks primed to offer a like-for-like alternative in the case that Madueke's current form doesn't last as long as everyone hopes.
England 2026 World Cup Squad Power Rankings - Forwards
Player
Harry Kane
Ollie Watkins
Bukayo Saka
Cole Palmer
Eberechi Eze
Jarrod Bowen
Anthony Gordon
Starting Lineup
England 2026 World Cup
Tuchel faces the challenge of striking a balance between England’s big-name stars and the so-called “system players” - those willing to do the dirty work that keeps the team ticking. Certain names pick themselves: Pickford, Guehi, Stones, Rice, Bellingham, and Kane are automatic selections, while Saka has long been each of his manager’s favourite within the Three Lions’ crowded creative setup.
Having a talent like Cole Palmer on the bench is a luxury rather than a problem. Against deeper defensive blocks, Tuchel may even choose to start him in the number 10 role, with Bellingham dropping slightly deeper to take on Anderson’s responsibilities in midfield. For now, though, the 4-2-3-1 system appears to be Tuchel’s blueprint, and the current lineup offers England’s best chance of another deep run at a major tournament - only this time, the hope is to go one step further and finally add a second star.
England's 2026 World Cup Predicted Starting XI: Pickford; James, Guehi, Stones, Lewis-Skelly; Anderson, Bellingham, Rice; Saka, Kane, Gordon.