Under the iconic arch of Wembley Stadium, England and Wales will renew their long-standing rivalry on Thursday night, meeting for the 105th time in history in what promises to be a fiercely contested international friendly.
England return to action for their first friendly since a 3-1 loss to Senegal in June — the only defeat of Thomas Tuchel’s reign so far. They bounced back strongly with clean-sheet wins over Andorra and Serbia in World Cup qualifying, extending their perfect run in Group K.
Sitting top with 15 points from five games, England can seal qualification for next summer’s tournament with victory over Latvia, but first face Wales in Thursday’s ‘Battle of Britain’. The Three Lions boast a dominant record against their rivals, winning the last seven meetings while conceding just once.
Wales, under Craig Bellamy, started brightly with a nine-game unbeaten run, but form has dipped following defeats to Belgium and Canada.
Their recent 1-0 win over Kazakhstan was a welcome boost, though away success remains elusive — they haven’t won a friendly on the road since 2008, when Bellamy himself scored the winner in Denmark. Thursday’s clash serves as key preparation for a vital qualifier against Belgium, who sit level on points in Group J.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including our match prediction, how to watch the match, kickoff times, latest lineup news and a big enhanced sign up offer.
England vs. Wales live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this international friendly match in the UK:
TV channel: ITV1, S4C, STV, UTV
Live stream: ITVX, BBC iPlayer, S4C Clic
This game is available for live TV broadcast on ITV1 (England), S4C (Wales), STV (Scotland), and UTV (Northern Ireland). Streaming options are available on ITVX, BBC iPlayer, and S4C Clic (Wales).
What time does England vs. Wales kick off?
This international friendly clash takes place at Wembley Stadium in London, England and kicks off on Thursday, October 9 at 7:45 p.m. local time (BST).
England vs. Wales lineups, team news
England will be without several key names, including Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, and Adam Wharton, all omitted by Tuchel, who insists there is “no problem” with any of them.
Injuries have sidelined Reece James, Tino Livramento, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, though John Stones is fit again.
Nico O’Reilly earns his first senior call-up, while Bukayo Saka returns and captain Harry Kane, with 18 goals in 11 games for Bayern Munich, will lead the line.
England predicted XI (4-3-3, right to left): Henderson (GK) — Spence, Konsa, Burn, Lewis-Skelly — Rice, Anderson, Rogers — Saka, Kane, Rashford.
Wales are without Aaron Ramsey and Daniel James through injury, prompting Craig Bellamy to call up Isaak Davies and Rubin Colwill.
The Dragons still boast a solid core, including Brennan Johnson, Ben Davies, and Harry Wilson, while in-form striker Kieffer Moore looks to score in a third straight international after netting against Liechtenstein and Kazakhstan.
Wales predicted XI (4-2-3-1 right to left): Darlow (GK) — Williams, Mepham, Rodon, Davies — Ampadu, J. James — Johnson, Wilson, Thomas — Moore.
England 2025 schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 9 | vs. Wales | 7:45 p.m. |
| Oct. 14 | vs. Latvia | 7:45 p.m. |
| Nov. 13 | vs. Serbia | 7:00 p.m. |
| Nov. 16 | vs. Albania | 5:00 p.m. |
Wales 2025 Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 9 | vs. England | 7:45 p.m. |
| Oct. 13 | vs. Belgium | 7:45 p.m. |
| Nov. 15 | vs. Lichtenstein | 5:00 p.m. |
| Nov. 18 | vs. North Macedonia | 7:45 p.m. |