Has England secured a spot in the World Cup? Here are the odds, schedule, and squad details for the FIFA tournament set to take place in the USA, Mexico, and Canada in 2026.

After two consecutive heart-breaking final defeats, England have narrowly missed out on winning the last two European Championships. 30 years of hurt once sung about has now doubled and we’re at 60 years and still chasing glory. 

The Three Lions appear to be closer than ever, a sentiment shared by the FA, who've enlisted former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel to guide this skilled squad to victory.

However, there are no assurances since teams like Spain, France, Argentina and Brazil also have a strong possibility of securing the Jules Rimet Trophy. 

Has England secured a spot in the World Cup?

England sealed their place in the 2026 World Cup draw with a win in Latvia in October, which guaranteed they will top Group K in the European qualifiers - leaving Albania and Serbia to fight it out for second place.

We're thoroughly examining England's prospects for the 2026 World Cup, including the types of bets to place when betting on football, crucial players, their possible route to the final, and the reasons why Tuchel might be the ideal choice to lead them to victory.

England's chances of winning the World Cup

What makes England a strong contender for The World Cup title?

England sits comfortably in the top three of outright betting markets with UK bookmakers. European champions Spain are the frontrunners across the board, while Tuchel's team is either the second or third favorite, alongside France, depending on the bookmaker.

Following their 2018 World Cup semi-final appearance, the Three Lions experienced two close calls, reaching the finals of both Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.

Despite Spain and Italy securing victories in those two competitions, a compelling case can be made that England has demonstrated the greatest consistency among national teams globally in major tournaments over the past four years, under the guidance of former manager Gareth Southgate.

Following their narrow World Cup 2022 quarter-final loss to France, England has experienced just two competitive defeats. One of these was the Euro 2024 final against Spain, and the other was a 1-2 setback against Greece at Wembley stadium in October 2024, with Lee Carsley serving as caretaker manager.

England has discovered a successful approach for reaching the decisive stages of major competitions, though Southgate encountered some critique for a conservative playing style. New manager Thomas Tuchel's assignment is to achieve that minor yet vital advancement, guiding a team that has reached consecutive major finals (in the Euros) to ultimate victory. 

What's the current betting line for England's World Cup chances following Thomas Tuchel's appointment?

England's chances in the World Cup have fluctuated a bit since Thomas Tuchel was named as the replacement for Sir Gareth Southgate. 

In October 2024, they were priced at 7.00 as it was announced Tuchel would assume the role for an 18-month period. By January 1, 2025, his initial official day as England's manager, the Three Lions' odds saw a minor decrease to 6.50.

The probabilities shifted to 8.00 following their 3-1 defeat against Senegal at the City Ground in June 2025. As of this writing, England's odds are hovering around 7.50 with the majority of Indian sports betting sites, although a few continue to provide odds as high as 8.00.

MORE: Top October events | How odds work | How to bet in India

England's roster for the 2026 World Cup

As Tuchel aims to end England’s 60 years of hurt and finally claim a major honour for the first time since 1966, his squad announcements from here until the World Cup 2026 will be under intense scrutiny, with so many players in contention.

The captain Harry Kane and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford might be the only guaranteed selections. Following the 5-0 victory over Serbia in September, Tuchel remarked that the competition for spots is intense. This win occurred without defender John Stones, midfielder Cole Palmer, and forward Bukayo Saka, all of whom will need to contend for their positions within the 26-player roster.

It's the players who have been active before the 2025/2026 season who will aim to put themselves in contention. Marcus Rashford's temporary transfer to Barcelona might be the critical push needed for the forward to regain his form and remain in Tuchel's lineups. 

Jack Grealish joined Everton on loan, late in the summer transfer window and has been given the license to showcase the mercurial talent that shone at boyhood club Aston Villa.

Grealish won September’s Premier League player of the month award and if he maintains this form then he will hope to make an England squad before 2025 is out. 

Reece James is expected to resolve Tuchel's right-back issue, provided he remains healthy. Jude Bellingham's role as a number 10 is likely secure, though Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa and Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest will compete for the backup position. Elliot Anderson or Adam Wharton appear to be the leading candidates to play alongside Rice in the midfield. 

A look at England's World Cup history versus that of other major tournament hopefuls.

Expert Predictions: Can England secure the 2026 World Cup title?

Stuart Pearce, a former England defender who participated in the 1990 World Cup and Euro 1996, thinks the difficulties of a North American World Cup might prove too great for England next year.

In August 2025, Pearce shared with DAZN his belief that winning the World Cup in the States would be a difficult challenge, citing factors like the climate and travel involved.

Rio Ferdinand, a former England player, informed TNT Sports that Tuchel could introduce the England squad's absent 'killer instinct,' though he didn't go as far as predicting a tournament victory. "I'm not going to go that far, but you would put them as one of the teams who would be capable of winning it definitely," he stated.

In June 2025, Geoff Hurst, the player who scored a hattrick for England in the 1966 World Cup, shared his thoughts with SLEEPER FC. He enthusiastically praised the Three Lions' promising young talent. While he conceded that Tuchel's team possesses a strong likelihood of winning the North American tournament, he advised prudence following their friendly defeat against Senegal. 

England World Cup betting sites

AllSportsPeople’ expert team have collated the India's best sports betting sites to wager on England’s 2026 World Cup odds, plus where you can find the most competitive free bet sign up offers and welcome bonuses to get the best value on the Three Lions next summer. 

Advice for wagering on England's World Cup victory

Strategically placing your wager is crucial for maximizing returns from the numerous betting options. Thoroughly investigate the wide selection of UK sportsbooks; you might discover one bookmaker offers slightly higher odds on England compared to another. This presents an opportunity to gain an advantage and secure the best market value.

Would you prefer to place a wager at the present odds? Alternatively, should you hold off until closer to the event? You'll gain a clearer picture of England's tactical readiness and player availability, though this might lead to reduced odds and diminished value. 

The schedule of matches might prove to be a crucial element in the final outcome. Following their decisive 5-0 victory over Serbia in Belgrade, a match many considered England's most challenging before the World Cup, they now face no teams currently ranked within the top 25 by FIFA. This could offer a more accurate measure of their World Cup prospects.

The pre-tournament friendlies in 2026 will be something to keep an eye on. 

England's path to the World Cup Final

England's route to the final will not be come clear until the draw takes place place, which is on 5 December 2025 at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington DC.  

In the meantime, England maintained their perfect start to World Cup 2026 qualification with their most recent victory in Group K, a 5-0 thrashing of Serbia in Belgrade. They’re first five games have yielded all 15 points. 

Securing two additional victories would ensure their destiny remains under their own control, as six points would be sufficient to secure their qualification for next summer's North American tournament. Nevertheless, they might confirm their World Cup finals berth if their closest rivals, Albania or Serbia, lose any further points in their remaining Group K matches. 

For the 2026 World Cup, 48 national teams will compete, organized into twelve groups, each comprising four countries. The teams that finish first and second in every group, along with the eight highest-ranked third-place teams, will proceed to the elimination rounds.

Typically, qualified countries are divided into four groups, each containing 12 teams based on the FIFA men's world rankings, with the top eight teams assigned to pot 1. Nevertheless, for 2026, the three host countries—Canada, Mexico, and the USA—will be accompanied solely by the top five ranked nations, forming the eight teams in pot 1.

Under Confederation regulations, each group can only have one team from a Confederation, with the exception of Europe, which has two UEFA teams per group because of its larger allocation.