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England have named their final 26-member squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander Arnold and Harry Maguire are the surprise exclusions. Harry Kane will lead the side.
England's midfielders Phil Foden (L) and Cole Palmer have been left out of their FIFA World Cup 2026 squad. (AFP)Midfielder Cole Palmer and Phil Foden were among the surprise omissions as head coach Thomas Tuchel named his final 26-member squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Friday. Having finished in the semifinals and quarterfinals in 2018 and 2022 editions respectively under Gareth Southgate, England hired former Chelsea boss Tuchel to end their 60-year wait for a FIFA World Cup - the last time they won it was in 1966.
Along with Foden and Palmer, Real Madrid's Trent Alexander Arnold and Manchester United's Harry Maguire were the surprise absentees. However, Tuchel's selection of Saudi-based Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney surprised many.
Having managed clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, the German took a few bold decisions that will be judged if England fall short of glory in the coming weeks. Notably, Palmer and Foden played a major role in England's run to the final of Euro 2024.
Having said that, Chelsea playmaker Palmer and Manchester City's Foden have paid the price for poor seasons with their clubs.
England's FIFA World Cup 2026 Squad
Goalkeepers — Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford
Defenders — Djed Spence, Marc Guéhi, Ezri Konsa, Reece James, Nico O’Reilly, Tino Livramento, Jarell Quansah, John Stones, Dan Burn
Midfielders — Eberechi Eze, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Kobbie Mainoo, Jordan Henderson
Forwards — Harry Kane (c), Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Anthony Gordon, Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney, Marcus Rashford
About the Author
Koushik Paul
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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