England compete in Group Twelve of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Record:
-
World Cup winners in 1966
-
Best European Championship finish: Runners-up in 2021 and 2024
-
Last World Cup appearance: 2022 (quarter-finals)
-
FIFA ranking: 4
-
Nickname: The Three Lions
-
Top clubs: Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United
Qualification: England swept through their qualifying group, finishing top by a wide margin ahead of Albania and Serbia, sealing their World Cup place two rounds before the end of the campaign. They kept a clean sheet in all eight matches while scoring 24 goals.
Coach: Following the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain, Gareth Southgate departed as manager and was replaced by German Thomas Tuchel. The former Borussia Dortmund, PSG, and Chelsea manager made bold choices in his World Cup squad, leaving out established figures such as right back Trent Alexander-Arnold and attacking midfielders Phil Foden and Cole Palmer. The 52-year-old justified his selections by saying he was seeking "to build the best possible team, not necessarily (select) the most talented 26 players."
Star player: At 32, striker Harry Kane is "ageing like fine wine" — the words of his Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany this season, ahead of the epic Champions League semi-final first leg against PSG. The former Tottenham man delivered his most prolific season yet, scoring 61 goals in a Bayern shirt. The Three Lions captain is far more than a goalscorer — his relentless pressing, defensive commitment, and consistent creative contribution make him a player who regularly unlocks matches. Having finally won trophies with Bayern, the one thing still missing from his career is lifting silverware with the national team.
Ambitions: To finally claim the title that has been awaited since the 1966 World Cup on home soil. England were runners-up in the last two European Championships — losing on penalties to Italy and then 1–2 to Spain — and also lost the 2018 World Cup semi-final to Croatia after extra time before a quarter-final exit against France in Qatar 2022. With an abundance of talent and Kane at the peak of his powers, the Three Lions once again enter the circle of genuine title contenders — haunted by the fear of coming home empty-handed once more.