Thomas Tuchel has made another statement of intent with his first England squad since the 2026 FIFA World Cup , which saw omissions of high-profile names like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer. Still, the pair are included in the 27-member list for the 2026-27 Nations League campaign, sparking further discussion. The duo, among others, missed out on the tournament in North America, which saw the Three Lions achieve their best finish since the 1966 World Cup by winning the Bronze. However, Palmer has since been forced to withdraw from the squad due to picking up an injury, which means the Chelsea star will not have the chance to be selected for the Three Lions camp until the November international break. He has been replaced by Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest.
Phil Foden, who seemed to have picked up form after a forgettable season last time, remains out of contention, with the Manchester City forward also being among the surprise names left out of the World Cup. Tuchel has introduced several fresh faces and recalled some players who were either unavailable or left out of his World Cup plans. Among the most notable inclusions are Bournemouth’s hotly demanded midfielder Alex Scott, Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite and Liverpool teenager Rio Ngumoha. Nico O'Reilly and Jarrad Quansah are among the faces that are retained from the World Cup squad, while Arsenal prodigy Myles Lewis-Skelly is also included. John Stones, Jordan Henderson and Noni Madueke are part of the group that has not been considered by the former Chelsea manager, while injuries have also disrupted his plans a bit.
England Squad for Nations League 2026-27 September-October Games
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Leeds United), Jason Steele (Brighton)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jared Branthwaite (Everton), Trevoh Chalobah (Como), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Nico O’Riley (Manchester City), Jarrell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Miles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Kobi Mainoo (Manchester United), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Alex Scott (Bournemouth)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Morgan Rodgers (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
England Nations League 2026-27 September-October Fixtures
Sunday, 27 September 2026
England vs Spain - Wembley Stadium, London (00:15)
Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Czechia vs Spain - Fortuna Arena, Prague (00:15)
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Croatia vs England - Stadion HNK Rijeka, Rijeka (21:30)
Wednesday, 7 October 2026
England vs Czech Republic - Wembley Stadium, London (00:15)
The 2026-27 Nations League will be quite a test for the Three Lions as they look to build on a positive World Cup campaign. England have been drawn in League A Group A3, alongside Spain, Croatia and the Czech Republic. It is one of the strongest groups in the competition, with La Roja looking to be the reigning world champions, while the Vatreni, despite their revolutionary manager Zlatko Dalic, remain a strong force with 41-year-old Luka Modric still leading them. Czechia provide another competitive opponent, meaning England will have six difficult fixtures during the league phase.
The top two teams in each League A group advance to the Nations League quarter-finals, adding further significance to every match. The opening match against Spain will be particularly significant. England will face Luis de la Fuente’s side in a sold-out Wembley in their first competitive game since the World Cup, which will be a repeat of the Euro 2024 final. The trip to Prague then follows just three days later, before England travel to Croatia under new management for their third fixture. The four-game window concludes with Czechia visiting Wembley for the reverse clash.
The new Nations League campaign gives Tuchel the chance to move England into the next phase of his tenure. The World Cup produced England's best finish since 1966, but the squad has already begun to evolve. Alexander-Arnold is back after missing the tournament and he will be determined to prove that it was the wrong decision to leave him out. Young players such as Ngumoha and Scott have been given opportunities to establish themselves. At the same time, established figures including Kane, Bellingham, Rice, Saka and Pickford remain central to the squad. The biggest challenge now is to integrate the returning players and emerging talents without disrupting the foundations that took England to the World Cup semi-finals.
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