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The latest England team news, injury update and predicted XI ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup clash against DR Congo
England’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign continues on Wednesday, when Thomas Tuchel’s side take on DR Congo at the Atlanta Stadium. The Three Lions topped their group as many expected, kicking things off with a bullish 4-2 win over Croatia. A rather underwhelming goalless draw with Ghana followed, before they laboured to a 2-0 win over Panama.
DR Congo are expected to provide a similar challenge to the one England faced in their last two fixtures, setting up in a rigid defensive formation designed to frustrate the opposition before bombing forward on the counter-attack. The Three Lions’ defence has looked shaky in the tournament thus far, and Tuchel will be working hard to fix this pressing issue in training.
Heading into the match, England have a number of injury concerns to consider. After being rested against Panama, Declan Rice will be hopeful of starting the next match. He’s been managing both a calf injury and a long-term hamstring issue, after a gruelling season with Arsenal saw him play over 50 club matches for the third season in a row.
Rice’s Gunners teammate Bukayo Saka started his first game of the tournament against Panama, and was substituted off after an underwhelming hour-long performance. He’s nursing a long-term Achilles injury that plagued him throughout last season. Reece James, meanwhile, is a certainty to miss Wednesday’s game with a hamstring problem.
England predicted line-up vs DR Congo: Goalkeeper and defence
Djed Spence looks set to deputise for Reece James in the right full-back positionplaceholder image
Djed Spence looks set to deputise for Reece James in the right full-back position | Getty Images
Goalkeeper - Jordan Pickford: The Everton stopper hasn’t had the best of tournaments so far, looking edgy at times with the ball at his feet. That said, his record between the sticks for England in knockout matches is exceptional, and he’ll be raring to go should he be required for some more penalty shootout heroics on Wednesday.
Right-back - Djed Spence: England’s right-back problem has been a matter of frenzied debate over the past few days, after injuries to Jarell Quansah and James have left Tuchel’s side brutally exposed. The versatile Spence is expected to start in that position against DR Congo, with his rapid speed likely to come in handy against the opposition’s lightning counter-attacks.
Centre-back - Ezri Konsa: Like Pickford, Konsa has looked shaky when in possession of the ball in the competition so far, and he needs to quickly rediscover the form that saw England emerge from the qualifying campaign without conceding a single goal. The Aston Villa defender has started all three of the Three Lions’ 2026 World Cup games so far.
Centre-back - Marc Guehi: The last thing you want in a major tournament is an unsettled defence, and Tuchel may well opt to keep his centre-back pairing the same to face DR Congo - unless he does deploy Konsa on the right, of course, which would see John Stones start alongside his Man City teammate Guehi instead.
Left-back - Nico O’Reilly: England looked significantly poorer without O’Reilly starting against Ghana, and he was duly recalled to face Panama. He’s had a number of near misses in front of goal from close range, and we have a feeling he’ll finally bag one against DR Congo. You heard it here first!
England predicted line-up vs DR Congo: midfield and attack
Harry Kane will lead the line for England once againplaceholder image
Harry Kane will lead the line for England once again | Getty Images
Central midfield - Declan Rice: Starting Rice will be a gamble, but when you’re at the knockout stages of a tournament, there really is no other choice. England lacked any real dynamism in midfield to push them forward against Panama, and will be hopeful that Rice’s return will solve this issue against DR Congo.
Central midfield - Elliot Anderson: He’s closing in on a huge transfer from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City, and Tuchel will be eager to see the kind of performance from the midfielder that convinced Enzo Maresca’s side to pay the big bucks. He overcame a glute complain to start against Ghana, and is expected to do so again on Wednesday.
Right attacking midfield - Bukayo Saka: Like Rice, there are fears that Saka’s tournament could be ended by injury at any moment, but he’ll still likely start against DR Congo. His understudy, Noni Madueke, hasn’t excelled while filling in for his Arsenal teammate, and Saka will certainly be Tuchel’s preferred starting option. He just needs to rediscover his clinical scoring touch to get up and running again.
Left attacking midfield - Marcus Rashford: Despite dazzling in a pre-tournament friendly against Costa Rica, Anthony Gordon just hasn’t looked at the races in the World Cup so far. Rashford didn’t score against Panama but had plenty of chances, and looks to be the more threatening of England’s options on the left. He’ll likely start once more against DR Congo.
Central attacking midfield - Jude Bellingham: The Three Lions’ standout player in the group stages, England will be desperate to see their talismanic midfielder dazzle again in the knockouts. Playing in a deeper role, he was simply everywhere against Panama, producing a heat map redder than an England fan who’s spent too much time sunbathing too long in the scorching North American summer heat.
Striker - Harry Kane: The Bayern Munich goal-machine became England’s all-time top World Cup goalscorer after netting against Panama, and will have his eyes on the race for the tournament Golden Boot award - he’ll need to get his skates on, with Argentina’s Lionel Messi currently top of the table with six goals, while Kane remains on three.
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