Trevoh Chalobah has been handed a surprise, last-minute call-up to England’s 2026 FIFA World Cup squad after Tino Livramento was ruled out of the tournament due to injury. Livramento picked up a calf injury in training on Saturday afternoon, with a subsequent medical assessment revealing that he won’t be able to play any further part in the tournament.
Chalobah is yet to feature at a major tournament for the Three Lions, with his only appearance to date coming in a 3-1 defeat to Senegal in a friendly match back in 2025. The call-up, of course, will provide an opportunity for the Chelsea defender to prove himself on football’s biggest stage.
Reacting to his first call-up to a major tournament, Chalobah took to social media to recall when he shared his dream of playing at a FIFA World Cup tournament back in 2018.
The 26-year-old was part of the England squad for their final two World Cup qualifying matches in November, but he was an unused substitute on both occasions. While Chelsea endured a turbulent 2025/26 campaign, Chalobah’s stood tall, registering 47 appearances across all competitions and scoring three goals.
England national team boss Thomas Tuchel is no stranger to Chalobah’s game, having managed the defender during his time at Chelsea between 2021 and 2022.
Interestingly, it was Tuchel who handed Chalobah his Premier League debut in August 2021 against Crystal Palace. In what was a memorable outing, the defender got on the scoresheet as the Blues cruised to a 3-0 victory.
England FA confirm Chalobah’s 2026 FIFA World Cup call-up
The England FA confirmed the development, stating that arrangements are being made for Chalobah to join the rest of the squad at their base in Kansas City.
“Trevoh Chalobah has been called into England’s 26-player squad at FIFA World Cup 2026 after injury sadly forced the withdrawal of Tino Livramento. Arrangements are now being made for the Chelsea defender to make the journey to the team's base camp in Kansas City, while the rest of the squad will head to Dallas, Texas, for the Three Lions’ opening group fixture against Croatia on Wednesday. FIFA regulations allow participating teams to replace an outfield player up to 24 hours before their opening fixture,” a statement read.
England are placed in Group L for the 2026 World Cup alongside Croatia, Ghana, and Panama. After their opener against Coratia, they will take on Ghana, before facing Panama.