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.
It seems the Three Lions are closer than ever, and the FA believe it too, hiring former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel to get this talented squad over the line.
But there’s no guarantees as the likes of Spain, France, Argentina and Brazil can stake a serious claim to clinching the Jules Rimet Trophy too.
Have England qualified for the World Cup?
Yes, England sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup with a win in Latvia in October, which guaranteed top spot in Group K of the European qualifiers.
The Three Lions completed a perfect record in qualifying - eight wins from eight, 22 goals scored and none conceded.
Let's take a deep dive into England's tournament chances, the types of bets to place when betting on football, the key players, their potential pathway to the final and why Tuchel could be the man to make the difference.
England odds to win the World Cup
| Bookmaker | Odds |
|---|---|
| 10Bet | 6/1 |
| Bet365 | 6/1 |
| SpreadEx | 6/1 |
| Ladbrokes | 6/1 |
| Bet Victor | 6/1 |
| Virgin Bet | 13/2 |
| Coral | 6/1 |
| Bresbet | 6/1 |
| Sky Bet | 6/1 |
| Paddy Power | 6/1 |
| Betway | 6/1 |
Why are England among the favourites to win the World Cup?
England are comfortably in the top three in outright markets on UK bookmakers (13/2 Virgin Bet), with European champions Spain leading the way across the board, while Tuchel's side trade as either the second and third favourites with France depending on the bookmaker you choose.
The Three Lions' run to the World Cup semi final in 2018 was followed up by two near misses, making the finals of both Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.
While both Spain and Italy won those two tournaments, there’s a strong argument to suggest England have been the most consistent national side in the world in major tournaments over the last four years, led by former manager Gareth Southgate.
Since the narrow defeat in the World Cup 2022 quarter-final to France, England have only lost two competitive matches, one being the Euro 2024 final to Spain and the other being a 1-2 loss to Greece at Wembley stadium in October 2024 - under caretaker manager Lee Carsley.
England have found a formula that works to get to the business end of major tournaments, but Southgate faced some criticism that he played with the handbrake on. New manager Thomas Tuchel is tasked with making that small but most crucial of steps, taking a side that has made back-to-back major finals (at the Euros) to actually winning them.
Here are the latest tournament odds from Paddy Power.
| Country | Odds |
| Spain | 4/1 |
| England | 6/1 |
| France | 7/1 |
| Brazil | 7/1 |
| Argentina | 17/2 |
| Portugal | 12/1 |
| Germany | 12/1 |
BET NOW: Who will win the World Cup | Thomas Tuchel's Predicted World Cup XI
How have England’s World Cup odds changed since Thomas Tuchel joined?
England’s World Cup odds have been yo-yoing somewhat since Thomas Tuchel was announced as the successor to Sir Gareth Southgate.
They were at 6/1 in October 2024 when the news broke that Tuchel would take charge on an 18-month-deal. January 1 2025, his first official day as England manager, the Three Lions odds were 13/2.
However this lengthened to 7/1 after the 3-1 loss to Senegal at the City Ground in June 2025. At the time of writing, they now sit back at 13/2 on Virgin Bet and 6/1 with the majority of UK sportsbooks.
MORE: Top December events | How odds work | How to bet in-play | Free betting games
England squad for World Cup 2026
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.
Perhaps the only shoo-ins for selection are the captain Harry Kane and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Tuchel said after the 5-0 thrashing of Serbia in September that competition for places is well and truly on. That result came without defender John Stones, midfielder Cole Palmer and forward Bukayo Saka, and those players will need to fight for their spot in the final squad.
But it’s players that have been on the move ahead of the 2025/2026 season that will hope to play themselves into contention. Marcus Rashford’s loan move to Barcelona could be the key impetus to allow the forward to shine again and keep himself in Tuchel’s squads.
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.
Elsewhere, Reece James should solve Tuchel’s right back conundrum, if he stays fit. Jude Bellingham’s position in the number 10 appeared safe before this season, but Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White will be battling to be his understudy. And where do Palmer and Foden fit into the overall mix?
Elliot Anderson currently looks best placed to partner Declan Rice in midfield, beating competition from the likes of Jordan Henderson and Adam Wharton.
How England’s World Cup record compares to other key contenders
Nation | World Cup 2014 | World Cup 2018 | World Cup 2022 |
England | Group stage | Semi-final | Quarter-final |
Spain | Group stage | Round of 16 | Round of 16 |
France | Quarter-final | Winners | Runners' up |
Argentina | Runners' up | Round of 16 | Winners |
Brazil | Semi-final | Quarter-final | Quarter-final |
Germany | Winners | Group stage | Group stage |
Expert Predictions: Will England win the World Cup in 2026?
Former England defender Stuart Pearce who appeared in the 1990 World Cup and Euro 1996 believes the challenges of a North American World Cup may be too much for England next year.
Pearce told DAZN in August 2025; "Do I think they can go to the States and win the World Cup? I don’t think so, if I’m being honest. I think it's a tough ask with the climate, the travel and everything that goes with it.
Ex-England star Rio Ferdinand told TNT Sports, Tuchel might instill the missing ‘killer instinct’ into the England team, but stopped short of claiming they will win the tournament. "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 said.
England’s 1966 World Cup hattrick hero Geoff Hurst spoke to SLEEPER FC in June 2025, waxing lyrical about the Three Lions exciting young players, and despite acknowledging Tuchel’s side has one of the best chances to win the tournament in North America, called for caution after the friendly loss to Senegal.
Best betting sites for England World Cup odds
AllSportsPeople’ expert team have collated the UK’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.
Tips for betting on England to win the World Cup
Timing your bet will be a key to getting the best value across the myriad of markets available. Ensure you do your research across the vast array of sportsbooks available in the UK, you may find one bookie prices up England slightly longer than one of their competitors. This is where you could get the edge and find the best industry value.
Do you want to bet now with the current price? Or is it best to wait until nearer the tournament? You will know more about the shape England will be in both tactically and with availability of players - but this may mean odds will shorten and the value lost.
Looking at the fixtures could be a key deciding factor. After dispatching Serbia 5-0 in Belgrade, in what many thought was England’s toughest fixture before the World Cup. They don’t currently face a nation in the top 25 of the FIFA World Rankings which could be a better yardstick as to their World Cup aspirations.
The pre-tournament friendlies in 2026 will be something to keep an eye on.
England’s route to the World Cup Final
England's route to the final became clearer on 5 December 2025 at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington DC.
We already knew England cannot meet European champions Spain or holders Argentina until the semi-finals or France until the final, should all four countries win their respective groups.
England's potential path to reaching the 2026 World Cup final on July 19 is one of the third-placed teams, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Spain.