The Albion midfielder has been ruled out of next month’s Under-17s global tournament in Qatar.
He was left out of a squad which includes Albion under-21s skipper Freddie Simmonds.
Howell scored his first senior goal for his club recently in their 6-0 win at Barnsley in the Carabao Cup.
Since then, he played most of a 3-3 draw at West Ham with the under-21s in Premier League 2 on September 26 but that remains his most recent appearance.
Albion have confirmed he misses the World Cup due to injury.
Howell has been a regular for England under-17s, and, more recently the 18s.
Former Albion striker Darren Freeman is among the team behind him and, while thrilled by his progress, warned recently of up and downs ahead.
Freeman said via social media after Howell signed his first professional deal: “This is just the beginning, and while you’ve already achieved something special, it’s important to keep pushing, stay humble, and continue to grow both on and off the pitch.
“The path ahead will bring new challenges and bigger opportunities — stay focused, keep learning, and never stop working hard. Your dedication and mindset will be key to reaching the highest level of the game.”
England have been drawn in Group E of the World Cup and will face Venezuela, Haiti and Egypt in early November.