England World Cup Squad Announcement: Tuchel Set to Finalise 26-Man List

Thomas Tuchel will name his 26-man England squad for the World Cup on Friday, May 22, as the England head coach prepares to trim a 55-man provisional group ahead of the tournament in North America.

A number of nations heading to this summer’s World Cup have already confirmed their squads, and England will soon follow suit as preparations under Thomas Tuchel reach a decisive stage.

Tuchel is set to finalise his selection on Friday, May 22, when he will reduce a 55-man provisional squad submitted to FIFA down to 26 players for the tournament in the United States.

Ahead of the announcement, here is everything you need to know about England’s squad reveal, selection rules and upcoming schedule.

When will Thomas Tuchel name the England World Cup squad?

Thomas Tuchel will announce his final 26-man squad on Friday, May 22.

While no official time has been confirmed, the announcement is expected to come around 11:00 BST, with the squad list made public shortly afterwards.

Tuchel has already submitted a provisional 55-player longlist to FIFA and will now finalise his travelling party for the tournament in North America.

Who’s in England’s provisional squad?

Reports indicate the following players make up Thomas Tuchel’s England provisional squad for the World Cup. Despite being included, more than half of them will be axed before the tournament as Tuchel trims his group down to a final 26-man selection.

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Jason Steele, Aaron Ramsdale, James Trafford

Defenders: Myles Lewis-Skelly, Reece James, Dan Burn, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guéhi, John Stones, Djed Spence, Nico O’Reilly, Levi Colwill, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ben White, Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento, Fikayo Tomori, Kyle Walker, Jarell Quansah, Trevoh Chalobah, Harry Maguire.

Midfielders: Declan Rice, Jordan Henderson, Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Adam Wharton, Conor Gallagher, Kobbie Mainoo, Curtis Jones, Morgan Gibbs-White, James Garner, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Alex Scott

Forwards: Morgan Rogers, Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon, Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Phil Foden, Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Ollie Watkins, Harvey Barnes, Dominic Solanke, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Morgan Gibbs-White, Ivan Toney

How many players will be in England’s World Cup squad?

Teams at the World Cup are permitted to name between 23 and 26 players, with at least three required to be goalkeepers.

FIFA increased squad sizes from the previous limit of 23 to allow greater depth and flexibility for international teams competing in a demanding tournament schedule.

England are expected to name the maximum 26 players available.

Can Tuchel change the squad after selection?

Yes. Thomas Tuchel will be allowed to make changes up to 24 hours before England’s opening World Cup match against Croatia.

That means replacements can be made until 21:00 BST on Tuesday, June 16, provided any incoming players were part of the original 55-man provisional squad submitted to FIFA.

This rule gives England flexibility in case of injuries or late fitness concerns.

When will players be told?

As is tradition, players are expected to be informed close to the official announcement.

While key figures such as Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Jordan Pickford are widely expected to be included, others face an anxious wait.

Clubs must be notified 24 hours before the public announcement, but players themselves are often informed only shortly beforehand via direct contact from the coaching staff.

England World Cup preparation schedule

Once the squad is confirmed, England will depart for the United States on Monday, June 1 to begin their final preparations.

Their training base will be supported by a series of warm-up fixtures in Florida.

England’s first friendly comes against New Zealand in Tampa, held at the Raymond James Stadium on Saturday, June 6.

They will then face Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday, June 10 before heading to Kansas City for their World Cup base camp.

From there, England will prepare for their group-stage matches against Croatia, Ghana and Panama as they aim for a strong tournament under Thomas Tuchel.