The Three Lions enter the 2026 World Cup with legitimate aspirations to bring home the trophy for the first time since 1966. Here’s a full preview of the England national team, including storylines, betting odds, key players and more.
World Cup History
- 17 appearances
- Best finish: Champion
- FIFA Rank: #4
- 2026 Group: L
England won its only World Cup in 1966. Recent deep tournament runs have raised expectations that this generation can finally add a second star. The talent level is high enough that anything short of a deep run will bring major scrutiny.
Group Stage Matches
- England vs. Croatia: June 17, 4:00PM ET
- England vs. Ghana: June 23, 4:00PM ET
- Panama vs. England: June 27, 5:00PM ET
Major Storylines, Predictions
Thomas Tuchel’s side garnered some controversy before the tournament even began, as the manager opted not to select stars Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Harry Maguire and Trent Alexander-Arnold. England opens with a major European matchup against Croatia. With Ghana and Panama also in the group, the Three Lions will expect to advance. The challenge is not talent, but turning one of the worldʼs deepest squads into a balanced, ruthless tournament team. If they can finally put all of the pieces together, winning this tournament is certainly within reach.
England 2026 World Cup Squad
Key Players
- Harry Kane | Forward | Bayern Munich
- Jude Bellingham | Midfielder | Real Madrid
- Bukayo Saka | Midfielder | Arsenal
- Declan Rice | Midfielder | Arsenal
- Nico O’Reilly | Full-back | Manchester City
- Marc Guehi | Centre-back | Manchester City
England 2026 World Cup Odds
- To Win The World Cup: +650
- Projected Top Goalscorer: Harry Kane (-230)
- To Win Group L: -320
- To Win All Group Games: +125
- Top European Team: +400
